Question

A scientist obtains the number 1250.37986 on a calculator. if this number has four (4) significant figures, how should it be written?

Answer 1

It should be written as the following:
Since we are looking for 4 significant figures, 1250.37986 will be 1250 (the first four significant figures)
| But, it was a scientist so the answer will be written in scientific notation |
Therefore, your answer will be 1.250 x 10³

I have attached a picture to help you with the scientific notation.

Answer 2

number obtained by the scientist in the calculator is 1250.37986 which is to be written in 4 significant figure.

As we can see the number has 9 significant figure to convert it into 4 significant figure

5th digit is less than 5 hence the number will be not be increased by 1 it remains same as 1250 which has 4 significant figure.

Now in scientific notation

the number will be 1.250 × 10³

hence, the number 1.250 × 10³ has four significant figure