Problem: Indicate which of the following are exact numbers.(a) the mass of a 32-oz can of coffee(b) the number of students in your chemistry class(c) the temperature of the surface of the Sun(d) the mass of a postage stamp(e) the number of milliliters in a cubic meter of water(f) the average height of NBA basketball players
FREE Expert Solution
Recall that Exact numbers are either defined numbers or the result of a count.
- Examples of exact numbers are the following:
- Conversions within the American system (such as pounds to ounces, the number of feet in a mile, the number of inches in a foot, etc).
- Conversions with the metric system (such as kilograms to grams, the number of meters in a kilometer, the number of centimeters in a meter).
- The words per and percent mean exactly out of one or one hundred, respectively.
- Counted numbers are exact: there are two chairs in the photograph. There are fifteen books on the shelf. Eighty-seven people attended the lecture.
An exact number can only be expressed in one way and cannot be simplified any further. Exact numbers have an infinite number of significant figures, but they often appear as integers.
Problem Details
Indicate which of the following are exact numbers.
(a) the mass of a 32-oz can of coffee
(b) the number of students in your chemistry class
(c) the temperature of the surface of the Sun
(d) the mass of a postage stamp
(e) the number of milliliters in a cubic meter of water
(f) the average height of NBA basketball players
Frequently Asked Questions
What scientific concept do you need to know in order to solve this problem?
Our tutors have indicated that to solve this problem you will need to apply the Significant Figures concept. You can view video lessons to learn Significant Figures. Or if you need more Significant Figures practice, you can also practice Significant Figures practice problems.
What professor is this problem relevant for?
Based on our data, we think this problem is relevant for Professor Kizilkaya's class at LSU.