Look at the Y-axis, showing temperature anomaly.  How many significant digits are reported in the temperature analysis?  I've included a picture of the chart and a page from our textbook explaining significant digits. I believe the answer is 4 significant digits, but i'm not sure if in 0.0 one of the zeros is significant or not.

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My chem 101 teacher asked this question:

  1. Look at the Y-axis, showing temperature anomaly.  How many significant digits are reported in the temperature analysis? 

I've included a picture of the chart and a page from our textbook explaining significant digits.

I believe the answer is 4 significant digits, but i'm not sure if in 0.0 one of the zeros is significant or not.

**Title:** Global Land-Ocean Temperature Anomalies (1880-2020)

**Graph Explanation:**

**Overview:**
The graph displays the global mean temperature anomalies over land and ocean surfaces from 1880 to 2020. The temperature anomalies are shown with respect to the base period of 1951-1980, measured in degrees Celsius (°C).

**Axes:**
- The x-axis represents the years, spanning from 1880 to 2020.
- The y-axis indicates the temperature anomaly in °C, ranging from -0.5 to 1.0.

**Data Representations:**
- **Black Line with Squares (No Smoothing):** This line shows the annual temperature anomaly data without any smoothing applied. It depicts the year-to-year fluctuations in temperature anomalies.
- **Red Line (Lowess Smoothing):** This line represents the trend using Lowess (Locally Weighted Scatterplot Smoothing), which provides a clearer, smoothed visualization of long-term changes and trends in the temperature anomalies.

**Key Insights:**
- The graph illustrates an overall increasing trend in global temperature anomalies, especially noticeable from the mid-20th century onwards.
- Short-term fluctuations are visible in the unsmoothed data, but the smoothed line highlights a significant upward trend, particularly in recent decades.

**Source:**
The data is sourced from NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), GISTEMP version 4.
Transcribed Image Text:**Title:** Global Land-Ocean Temperature Anomalies (1880-2020) **Graph Explanation:** **Overview:** The graph displays the global mean temperature anomalies over land and ocean surfaces from 1880 to 2020. The temperature anomalies are shown with respect to the base period of 1951-1980, measured in degrees Celsius (°C). **Axes:** - The x-axis represents the years, spanning from 1880 to 2020. - The y-axis indicates the temperature anomaly in °C, ranging from -0.5 to 1.0. **Data Representations:** - **Black Line with Squares (No Smoothing):** This line shows the annual temperature anomaly data without any smoothing applied. It depicts the year-to-year fluctuations in temperature anomalies. - **Red Line (Lowess Smoothing):** This line represents the trend using Lowess (Locally Weighted Scatterplot Smoothing), which provides a clearer, smoothed visualization of long-term changes and trends in the temperature anomalies. **Key Insights:** - The graph illustrates an overall increasing trend in global temperature anomalies, especially noticeable from the mid-20th century onwards. - Short-term fluctuations are visible in the unsmoothed data, but the smoothed line highlights a significant upward trend, particularly in recent decades. **Source:** The data is sourced from NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), GISTEMP version 4.
# A1.2 Determining the Number of Significant Figures in a Reported Number

When we see a written number, such as 0.0340, how do we know how many significant figures are represented? You may mistakenly say that the number has five significant figures, but it does not. To determine the number of significant figures in a number, follow these simple steps:

1. **All nonzero digits are significant.**
   - Example: 2.006, 0.0340

2. **Interior zeros are significant.**
   - Example: 5.0304, 290.87

3. **Trailing zeros after a decimal point are significant.**
   - Example: 4.90, 89.00

4. **Zeros to the left of the first nonzero number are not significant.** They serve only to locate the decimal point.
   - Example: The number 0.0003 has only one significant figure.

5. **Zeros at the end of a number, but before a decimal point, may or may not be significant.** This ambiguity can be avoided by using scientific notation.
   - Example: Does 350 have two or three significant figures? Write the number as 3.5 × 10² to indicate two significant figures, or as 3.50 × 10² to indicate three.

6. **Exact numbers, expressed either by themselves or in an equivalence statement, have an unlimited number of significant digits.**
   - Example: 2 atoms means 2.000000... atoms; 100 cm = 1 m means 100.00000... cm = 1.0000000... m.

This guide clarifies how to identify and count significant figures in various numerical contexts, ensuring precise communication in scientific and mathematical applications.
Transcribed Image Text:# A1.2 Determining the Number of Significant Figures in a Reported Number When we see a written number, such as 0.0340, how do we know how many significant figures are represented? You may mistakenly say that the number has five significant figures, but it does not. To determine the number of significant figures in a number, follow these simple steps: 1. **All nonzero digits are significant.** - Example: 2.006, 0.0340 2. **Interior zeros are significant.** - Example: 5.0304, 290.87 3. **Trailing zeros after a decimal point are significant.** - Example: 4.90, 89.00 4. **Zeros to the left of the first nonzero number are not significant.** They serve only to locate the decimal point. - Example: The number 0.0003 has only one significant figure. 5. **Zeros at the end of a number, but before a decimal point, may or may not be significant.** This ambiguity can be avoided by using scientific notation. - Example: Does 350 have two or three significant figures? Write the number as 3.5 × 10² to indicate two significant figures, or as 3.50 × 10² to indicate three. 6. **Exact numbers, expressed either by themselves or in an equivalence statement, have an unlimited number of significant digits.** - Example: 2 atoms means 2.000000... atoms; 100 cm = 1 m means 100.00000... cm = 1.0000000... m. This guide clarifies how to identify and count significant figures in various numerical contexts, ensuring precise communication in scientific and mathematical applications.
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