How to record 100 ± 1 m using significant figures?

Write one hundred plus or minus one meter; if using scientific notation to show precision, write one point zero zero times ten to the two meters.

Think of the number like a ruler reading with a tiny wiggle room. When you say one hundred plus or minus one meter, you are saying the true length is somewhere between ninety-nine and one hundred and one meters because the uncertainty is one meter. Showing one point zero zero times ten to the two meters is a way to tell someone that you trust the hundreds, tens, and ones place up to the nearest meter and that the measurement was made precisely enough to justify those two zeros. The plus or minus part is the uncertainty and it tells readers how much the number could reasonably shift.

Students often write extra digits that imply more certainty than the measurement supports, which makes the result misleading; to avoid that, match the digits to the uncertainty and round appropriately. Another common mistake is forgetting to include the unit with the uncertainty, which can cause confusion, so always write the unit after the uncertainty. A third issue is mixing notation styles in the same report, like giving one value in plain form and another in scientific notation without consistency; pick one clear style and use it consistently.

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Recording 100 ± 1 m with Significant Figures

1. Match digits to uncertainty
2. Round appropriately
3. Include the uncertainty sign
4. Use scientific notation for precision
5. Indicate which digits are trusted

Common Measurement Mistakes in Recording 100 ± 1 m

1. Writing extra digits implying false certainty
2. Omitting the unit with uncertainty
3. Mixing notation styles inconsistently

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