When dividing several quantities, the number of significant digits in the result must always be
A) larger than the number of significant digits in the most accurate of the quantities.
B) equal to the number of significant digits in the most accurate of the quantities.
C) equal to the average number of significant digits in the most and least accurate of the quantities.
D) equal to the number of significant digits in the least accurate of the quantities.
E) smaller than the number of significant digits in the least accurate of the quantities.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When dividing several quantities, the number of significant digits in the result must be equal to the number of significant digits in the least accurate of the quantities. This is because the result cannot be more precise than the least precise input. For example, if you divide 10.0 by 3.41, the result should be expressed with the same number of decimal places as the least accurate measurement (in this case, 3.41). So, the result is approximately 2.93, with two decimal places. Therefore, the answer is D, which states that the number of significant digits in the result is equal to the number of significant digits in the least accurate of the quantities.

When Dividing Several Quantities, the Number of Significant Digits in the Result