To solve the addition problem \(0.004598 + 4\) and present the answer with correct significant digits, follow these steps:
Step 1: Identify the numbers
- \(0.004598\) has five significant digits (the leading zeros do not count).
- \(4\) has one significant digit (the whole number).
Step 2: Align the numbers for addition
Align the numbers by their decimal points:
0.004598
+ 4.000000
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Step 3: Perform the addition
Now, calculate the sum:
- Add these values directly: \[ 0.004598 + 4 = 4.004598 \]
Step 4: Determine significant digits in the result
When adding, the result should be reported with the same number of decimal places as the value with the least decimal places. In this case:
- 0.004598 has 6 decimal places (0.004598).
- 4 has no decimal places (0.000000).
Step 5: Determine the minimum number of decimal places to keep
Since 4 has no decimal places, we round our result, \(4.004598\), to the nearest whole number. The number with the least precision is the one that affects the final rounding of the number:
- After rounding, \(4.004598\) becomes \(4.00\).
Step 6: Final Answer
Therefore, the final answer with appropriate significant digits is:
\[ \text{Answer: } 4.00 \]
Summary
- Calculated result: \(4.004598\)
- Final answer (with correct significant digits): \(4.00\)
- Number of significant digits in the final answer: 3 (the 4 and two zeros after the decimal)
1 answer