How many significant figures does 6.02×10^23 have?

Six point zero two times ten to the twenty-third has three significant figures.

Think of significant figures as the number of meaningful digits in a measurement that tell us how precise the measurement is. The number written as six point zero two times ten to the twenty-third shows three digits that matter: six, zero, and two; the exponent only moves the decimal point and does not count as a significant digit. When scientists write numbers in scientific notation like this, they often keep only the significant digits in the coefficient, so six point zero two carries the precision information while the times ten to the twenty-third part simply scales the size. That means you can trust that the measurement is precise to three digits regardless of how large the number is.

A common mistake is treating the exponent digits as significant, which would wrongly increase the count; remember the exponent only shifts the decimal. Another mistake is assuming trailing zeros without a decimal are significant, but in scientific notation you avoid that ambiguity by placing significant digits in the coefficient; if more precision is intended, include more digits in the coefficient. If you are unsure, ask for the number in scientific notation or look for a written note about significant figures.

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How many significant figures in 6.02×10^23?

1. Significant figures show measurement precision
2. Count digits in the coefficient only
3. Exponent does not add significance
4. Scientific notation keeps precision clear

Common mistakes with significant figures

1. Treating the exponent as significant
2. Assuming trailing zeros without decimal are significant
3. Not asking for scientific notation when unsure

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