I am told that when determining the number of significant figures, if the decimal place is absent, then you start counting from the first nonzero number on the right side and continue counting to the left until you reach the last digit. However, if the decimal place is present, start counting the first nonzero number from the left and continue counting to the right until the final digit has been reached. For example, the number 50 only has two significant figures, while the number 50.00 has four significant figures. However, how does the number 50 have two significant figures? If I have to start countingfrom the right because of the absence of a decimal place, and I have to begin with the first non zero number, I would have to start from 5 and there is nowhere to count further to the left. How does the number 50 have two significant figures?
I am told that when determining the number of significant figures, if the decimal place is absent, then you start counting from the first nonzero number on the right side and continue counting to the left until you reach the last digit. However, if the decimal place is present, start counting the first nonzero number from the left and continue counting to the right until the final digit has been reached.
For example, the number 50 only has two significant figures, while the number 50.00 has four significant figures.
However, how does the number 50 have two significant figures? If I have to start countingfrom the right because of the absence of a decimal place, and I have to begin with the first non zero number, I would have to start from 5 and there is nowhere to count further to the left.
How does the number 50 have two significant figures?
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