You are solving a measurement problem where the numbers 2.09*10^(9) and 4.053 × 10^−4 are divided. How many significant digits should the quotient have?

Respuesta :

Answer:

  3

Step-by-step explanation:

You want to know the appropriate number of significant digits in the quotient of measurements 2.09×10^9 and 4.053×10^-4.

Significant digits

The number of significant digits in a number written in scientific notation is the count of digits in the mantissa. Numbers with more significant digits are considered to be more precise.

  2.09×10^9 . . . . has 3 significant digits

  4.053×10^-4 . . . . has 4 significant digits

Product or Quotient

When imprecise numbers are multiplied or divided, the resulting product or quotient cannot be more precise than the least precise number used. The quotient of numbers with 3 and 4 significant digits will only have 3 significant digits.