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PROBLEM:
(a) How many significant figures are in the numbers 99 and 100?
(b) If the uncertainty in each number is 1, what is the percent uncertainty in each?
(c) Which is a more meaningful way to express the accuracy of these two numbers, significant figures or percent uncertainties?
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SOLUTION:
Part A
99 has 2 significant figures
100 has 3 significant figures
Part B
\begin{align*} \frac{1}{99}\times 100\% & =1.0\:\% \\ \frac{1}{100}\times 100\% & =1.00\% \end{align*}
Part C
Based on the results of parts a and b, the percent uncertainties are more meaningful.
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