Questions: Significant Figures (Sig Figs)
Multiple-choice questions (with five alternatives each) covering:
• Significant Figures (Sig Figs)
• Significant Figures in Addition and Subtraction
• Significant Figures in Multiplication and Division
Answers with detailed explanations are provided at the end.
Multiple-Choice Questions: Significant Figures
General Concepts – Significant Figures
1. How many significant figures are in the number 0.00560?
A) 5
B) 4
C) 3
D) 2
E) 1
2. Which of the following numbers has 4 significant figures?
A) 0.00456
B) 4560
C) 4.560
D) 456000
E) 45.6
3. Which zeros are considered significant?
A) Leading zeros only
B) Captive (between non-zero digits) and trailing zeros after decimal
C) Only trailing zeros before decimal
D) Leading and trailing zeros
E) No zeros are ever significant
4. How many significant figures are in 300.0?
A) 1
B) 2
C) 3
D) 4
E) 5
5. Which number has only 1 significant figure?
A) 0.010
B) 1.0
C) 0.1
D) 10.0
E) 0.0100
6. In scientific notation, how many significant figures does 3.20 × 10⁴ have?
A) 1
B) 2
C) 3
D) 4
E) 5
7. What is the number of significant figures in 0.000300?
A) 1
B) 2
C) 3
D) 4
E) 5
8. Which number below is written with 5 significant figures?
A) 0.00056
B) 1.2345
C) 123.45
D) 100.0
E) 56.7
9. Which of the following numbers has no significant figures?
A) 0.0
B) 0.00400
C) 0
D) 0.01
E) 0.05
10. How many significant figures are in the number 7.090?
A) 2
B) 3
C) 4
D) 5
E) 6
Addition and Subtraction with Sig Figs
11. What rule governs significant figures in addition and subtraction?
A) Round to the fewest number of significant figures
B) Round to the most decimal places
C) Round to the least number of decimal places
D) Ignore all decimals
E) Use scientific notation
12. Calculate: 12.11 + 18.0 + 1.013 (rounded correctly)
A) 31.123
B) 31.12
C) 31.1
D) 31.0
E) 30
13. Perform: 123.45 − 23.1, using correct sig figs
A) 100.35
B) 100.3
C) 100
D) 100.4
E) 99
14. Which result has the correct number of sig figs: 45.60 − 5.2
A) 40.4
B) 40.40
C) 40
D) 40.400
E) 40.5
15. If 8.990 + 2.1 is calculated, the answer should be rounded to:
A) 11.09
B) 11.1
C) 11.090
D) 11.0
E) 12
Multiplication and Division with Sig Figs
16. What is the rule for sig figs in multiplication and division?
A) Round to the most decimal places
B) Use scientific notation
C) Round to the fewest significant figures
D) Ignore zeros
E) Always round to 3 sig figs
17. Calculate: 4.56 × 1.4, with correct sig figs
A) 6.38
B) 6.4
C) 6.384
D) 6
E) 7
18. Perform: 12.0 ÷ 3.00, using sig figs
A) 4
B) 4.00
C) 4.0
D) 3.9
E) 5.00
19. Find the result of: 6.022 × 0.20
A) 1.204
B) 1.2
C) 1.2044
D) 1.20
E) 1
20. Calculate: 100.0 × 3.00, properly rounded
A) 300
B) 300.0
C) 300.00
D) 3.0
E) 30
21. How many significant figures are in the result of 25.0 ÷ 2.50?
A) 1
B) 2
C) 3
D) 4
E) 5
22. If you multiply 0.020 × 10.0, what is the result with correct sig figs?
A) 0.2
B) 0.200
C) 0.20
D) 2
E) 0.02
23. Calculate: 9.876 × 1.2 using correct sig figs
A) 11.8512
B) 11.9
C) 11.85
D) 12
E) 10
24. Which answer is correct for 8.00 ÷ 4.000?
A) 2
B) 2.0
C) 2.00
D) 2.000
E) 2.5
25. In multiplication/division, zeros before digits are:
A) Always significant
B) Never significant
C) Sometimes significant
D) Counted as 1 sig fig
E) Doubled
26. Calculate 3.00 × 0.00400 and give the sig figs
A) 0.0120
B) 0.012
C) 0.01200
D) 0.01
E) 0.012000
27. In the operation 2.50 × 4.0 ÷ 1.00, how many sig figs should the answer have?
A) 1
B) 2
C) 3
D) 4
E) 5
28. What is the product of 5.678 × 2.0, rounded?
A) 11.4
B) 11.36
C) 11.356
D) 11
E) 10
29. A value of 6.02 × 10²³ has how many significant figures?
A) 1
B) 2
C) 3
D) 4
E) Infinite
30. How many significant figures are in the result of 1.000 × 0.0001?
A) 1
B) 2
C) 3
D) 4
E) 5
Answer Key with Explanations
1. C – 3 sig figs: 5, 6, and trailing zero
2. C – 4 sig figs (trailing zero is after a decimal)
3. B – Captive and trailing after decimal are significant
4. D – All digits including the zero are significant
5. C – Only the "1" is significant
6. C – All digits in mantissa count as sig figs
7. C – 3 sig figs: 3, 0, and trailing 0
8. B – 1.2345 has 5 sig figs
9. C – 0 alone has no significant figures
10. C – 7, 0, 9, and final 0 are all significant
11. C – Round to least decimal places
12. C – Least decimals = 1 (from 18.0), answer is 31.1
13. B – Final answer must have 1 decimal (from 23.1)
14. A – 1 decimal place: 40.4
15. B – One decimal: 11.1
16. C – Round to least number of sig figs
17. B – 2 sig figs (from 1.4): 6.4
18. C – 3 sig figs (12.0 and 3.00): 4.00
19. D – 2 sig figs (from 0.20): 1.20
20. B – 3 sig figs total: 300.0
21. C – Each has 3 sig figs → result has 3 sig figs
22. C – 2 sig figs: 0.020 has 2, 10.0 has 3 → result: 0.20
23. B – 2 sig figs (from 1.2): 11.9
24. C – Least sig figs = 3 → 2.00
25. B – Zeros before digits are not significant
26. A – 3 sig figs: result is 0.0120
27. B – Least sig figs = 2 (from 4.0)
28. A – 2 sig figs → round to 11.4
29. C – 6.02 has 3 sig figs
30. D – Final answer has 4 sig figs
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