Final answer:
The sum of 51.0 and 9.145 is 60.145, which when rounded to the correct number of significant figures is 60.1.
Step-by-step explanation:
To report the answer to the following calculation to the proper number of significant figures: 51.0 + 9.145, we must look at the number with the least number of decimal places among the numbers we are adding. Since 51.0 has only one decimal place, our result must also be rounded to one decimal place.
Adding these numbers we get 51.0 + 9.145 = 60.145. When we round this sum to one decimal place, we get 60.1. Therefore, the correct option with the proper number of significant figures is (a) 60.1.