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Multiple Choice
Which of the following has the largest number of significant figures?
A
21
B
2.10 × 104
C
0.000021
D
200.1
E
0.0020010
Verified step by step guidance
1
Identify the number of significant figures in each given number. Significant figures are the digits in a number that contribute to its precision, including all non-zero digits, any zeros between significant digits, and any trailing zeros in the decimal portion.
For the number '21', count the significant figures. Since both digits are non-zero, it has 2 significant figures.
For '2.10 × 10^4', count the significant figures in the coefficient '2.10'. The digits '2', '1', and the trailing zero are all significant, giving it 3 significant figures.
For '0.000021', count the significant figures. The leading zeros are not significant, so only the digits '2' and '1' are significant, resulting in 2 significant figures.
For '200.1', count the significant figures. The digits '2', '0', '0', and '1' are all significant because the trailing zero is in the decimal portion, giving it 4 significant figures. Therefore, '200.1' has the largest number of significant figures among the options provided.