Question

A technician experimentally determined the boiling point of octane to be 124.1°C. The actual boiling point of octane is 125.7°C. Calculate the percent error.
Page 72 #16 Determine the number of significant figures in each of the following measurements?
11 soccer players
0.070020 meter
10,800 meters
0.010 square meter
5.00 cubic meters
507 thumbtacks

Page 72 #17 Solve the following and express each answer in scientific notation and to the correct number of significant figures.
(5.3 x 104) + (1.3 x 104)
(7.2 x 10-4) ÷ (1.8 x 103)
104 x 10-3 x 106
(9.12 x 10-1) - (4.7 x 10-2)

Answer 1

Percent error=(experimentally determined boiling point-actual boiling point)

                   =(124.1 - 125.7) = 1.6 °C

$Percentage error is \frac{1.6\times 100}{125.7} = 1.27%$

Quantity                   Number of significant figures

0.070020 meter                     5

10,800 meters                        5

0.010 square meter               2

5.00 cubic meters                  1

507 thumbtacks                     3

 (5.3 x 10⁴) + (1.3 x 10⁴) =6.6 x 10⁴

(7.2 x 10⁻⁴) ÷ (1.8 x 10³)=4 x 10⁻⁷

10⁴ x 10⁻³ x 10⁶=10⁷

(9.12 x 10⁻¹) - (4.7 x 10⁻²)=(9.12 x 10⁻²) - (4.7 x 10⁻²)

                                          =(91.2-4.7)  x 10⁻²

                                           =85.5 x 10⁻²