Carry out the following operations and express the answers with the appropriate number of significant numbers. (a) 16.234 + 8.722 × 0.6746

Key Concepts

Significant Figures

Significant figures are the digits in a number that contribute to its precision. This includes all non-zero digits, any zeros between significant digits, and trailing zeros in the decimal portion. When performing calculations, the result should be expressed with the same number of significant figures as the measurement with the least number of significant figures to ensure accuracy.

Order of Operations

The order of operations is a set of rules that dictates the sequence in which calculations should be performed to ensure consistent results. The common acronym PEMDAS (Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division, Addition and Subtraction) helps remember this order. In the given expression, multiplication must be performed before addition.

Arithmetic Operations

Arithmetic operations include addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, which are fundamental to solving mathematical expressions. Each operation has specific rules regarding how to handle significant figures and rounding. Understanding how to correctly apply these operations is essential for obtaining accurate results in calculations.