Maths Skills

Uncertainties

• Use the smallest readable unit of instrument.

• Measuring length on a ruler• eg. 1mm on ruler , uncertainty is +- 0.5mm

Significant Figures

• Answer needs to be the same number of the LEAST number of significant figures in data.

• Eg: 2.6, 3.45, 1.123, 2.0• Mean answer given to 2 sig figs.

Significant Figures - Data

• All data must use the same number of decimal places.

• Need to use the number of decimal places provided by instrument.

• eg. Measuring mass on a balance, reading to 3 decimal places4.000g, 4.113g, 4.002g

Scientific Notation

• Between 0.1 – 100 leave as is.• Otherwise use scientific notation.• eg. 2.3 x 103

• 2.3 x 10-3