Leading zeros are not significant; ignore them and count only the digits that start from the first nonzero digit to the end.
Think of a number like a line of people where the people at the very front are invisible until someone with a costume arrives; the invisible folks are the leading zeros and do not count. For example, in zero point zero zero five six, the first visible person is five, so you count five and six only, giving two significant figures. If a number has a decimal point and digits after the first nonzero digit, every digit from that first nonzero to the last digit counts, even if some are zeros, like zero point two zero zero has three significant figures. Whole numbers without a decimal point can be tricky, but leading zeros never change the count because they sit before the first nonzero digit and are ignored.
Students often think every zero in a number must be counted, but zeros that come before the first nonzero digit do not count, so do not include them when reporting significant figures. Another common mistake is confusing trailing zeros with leading zeros; trailing zeros after a decimal point do count, so remember to look for the decimal and where the first nonzero digit appears. A quick tip is to rewrite the number in plain form without extra leading zeros or to move the decimal using scientific notation to make the significant figures obvious.
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Counting Significant Figures in 0.0056
- Ignore leading zeros
- Start at first nonzero digit
- Count to the last digit
- Zeros after first nonzero count
- Rewrite using scientific notation
Common Significant Figures Mistakes
- Counting leading zeros as significant
- Confusing trailing zeros with leading zeros
- Missing the decimal when counting
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