Workshop: Significant Figures and Dimensional Analysis
Determine the number of significant figures in the following numbers:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
3.8079
2.73
0.075
3500
0.27050
240.
________
________
________
________
________
________
Calculate the following to the correct number of significant figures:
1. 3.257 – 3.05 =
2. 4.25 x 0.0290 =
3.200
3.
8.15  3.22  10.123 
1.0027
Round Robin Instructions:
1. Your Beacon Leader will assign each of you a number, starting with 1.
2. Student number one will read the question aloud and do the first step.
3. When the group agrees that the first step is correct, student 2 will do the second
step. When the group agrees that this step is correct, student 3 will do the next
step. Continue in this way until the group agrees that the answer is correct. Be
sure that the final answer contains the correct number of significant figures.
4. The next student in line should begin the next problem.
5. Work the problems on the following pages along with the group working on the
board.
Questions
1. Determine the number of meters in 1.00 mile.
Workshop: Significant Figures and Dimensional Analysis
2. Calculate the number of seconds in 1.00 year.
3. The speed of light is 1.86 x105 miles per second. How many meters will light
travel in 2.0 seconds?
4. Find the number of square centimeters in 1.00 x 102 square yards.
5. A light year is the distance that light travels in one year. Determine the number of
miles, meters, and kilometers in 1.00 light year. The speed of light is 2.998 x 108
meters per second.
Workshop: Significant Figures and Dimensional Analysis
6. The displacement (total volume of the cylinders) of the engine in a Ford Mustang
is 5.00 L. Convert this to cubic inches. (Remember that a liter is the volume
contained in a cube that is 1 dm on each side.)
7. The units of the chain system of measure, used by surveyors, are as follows:
7.92 inches = 1 link
10 chains = 1 furlong
100 links = 1 chain
80 chains = 1 mile
The distance of the Kentucky Derby, a classic horse race, is 1.25 miles. How is
this distance expressed in furlongs?
8. A single layer of gold atoms forms a surface whose dimensions are 1.0 x 103
angstroms by 1.0 x 103 angstroms. 1 angstrom = 10-10 meter. [The symbol for an
angstrom is a capital A with a small circle on top. (Å)]
a) What is the area of the surface in square angstroms?
b) What is the surface area in square centimeters?