How many significant figures are in each number? a. 0.000312 m b. 312,000 s c. 3.12 × 10⁵ km d. 13,127 s e. 2000

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the non-zero digits in each number, as they are always significant.
2. For numbers with leading zeros, such as in part (a), note that leading zeros are not significant.
3. For numbers with trailing zeros, such as in part (b) and (e), determine if the zeros are significant by checking if there is a decimal point present.
4. For numbers in scientific notation, such as in part (c), focus on the digits in the coefficient (the number before the multiplication sign) as they are significant.
5. For whole numbers without a decimal point, such as in part (d), consider all non-zero digits as significant and evaluate if any trailing zeros are significant based on context or additional information.