Question

2.524 g (5.1 × 106 g) ÷ (6.85 × 103 g) = ? How many significant figures should the result have?

Answer 1

The correct answer is Three. Solving the given expression we get,

2.524 g (5.1 × 106 g) ÷ (6.85 × 103 g) = 1364.47÷ (6.85 × 103 g) = 1364.47÷ 705.55 = 1.93 
Here, the number of significant figures is three. Thus, the result should have three significant figures.

Answer 2

Explanation:

To solve the equation, we will first multiply the numerator and denominator separately and then divide it, to attain the final result.

The equation given is:

$2.524g(5.1\times 106g)\div (6.85\times 103g)=1364.4744g^2\div 705.55g\\\\\Rightarrow 1.933\approx 1.9$

Whenever multiplication and division are involved, the answer must not contain, more number of significant figures as there are in the least precise term.

Of all the given terms, the least precise number has 2 significant numbers. Therefore, the answer  would have 2 significant figures and the final answer will be 1.9