15
QuizMultiple Choice

Scientific Notation and Significant Figures

Question 15 • CR SS Chemistry S2 2018/19 2026

Which of these rules is applicable to subtracting two values that have different numbers of decimal places (for example, subtracting 2.1 from 2.15)?

Answer
A
The answer is less accurate than either value.
B
The answer is more precise than either value.
C
The answer has the same number of decimal places as the least precise value.
D
The answer has the same number of significant figures as the most precise value.

Explanation

For subtraction, round the result to the same number of decimal places as the value with fewer decimal places. In 2.15 − 2.1 = 0.05, the least precise value, 2.1, has one decimal place, so the result rounds to 0.1. Thus, the answer has the same number of decimal places as the least precise value.

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