Write 0.004726 correct to 2 significant figures.

Step by step

The question

Question: round 0.004726 to 2 significant figures.

1 Find the first significant figure

In 0.004726, the first significant figure is 4.

The first significant figure is the first digit that is not 0.

The zeros in front only hold the place.

They are not counted.

2 Count the figures

We count 2 figures from there: 4, 7.

The 2nd figure, 7, is in the ten-thousandths place.

So we round to the nearest ten-thousandth.

3 Look at the next digit

Now we look at the next digit to the right.

It is 2.

5 or more: we round up, the ten-thousandths digit goes up by 1.

4 or less: we round down, it stays.

2 is 4 or less, so we round down.

4 Keep the size

We stop after the 2nd figure.

So 0.004726 is about 0.0047.

Careful!

The zeros in front are not counted.

But they stay in the answer.

They hold the place.

So 0.004726 to 2 significant figures is 0.0047.

5 Check

Let's check.

0.0047 has 2 significant figures: 4, 7.

And it is close to 0.004726.

So the answer is right!

Let's look back.

First: find the first significant figure.

Then: count the figures.

Then: look at the next digit.

Then: keep the size.

Last: check.