Section 2: Precision & Accuracy
Fundamental Topics in Science © 2001 Texas Instruments Teacher Notes 2-9
Activity—How Do You Measure Up?
In this activity, which reviews significant figures as well as precision and accuracy, students
measure the height of the Washington Monument using two different rulers.
Each student also asks three other students what their measurements were and enters them in
the calculator.
Students can select
Ã
MENU
Ä
to return to the
ACTIVITIES
menu. If a student is having trouble, you
can suggest that he or she select
Ã
MENU
Ä
and begin the activity again.
Try-It!™ on Your TI
83 Plus
Point out the difficulty caused by the measurements that were not recorded to the specified four
significant figures. As a result, rounding and assumptions must be made. Discuss with students
which measurements had too many significant figures and which had too few.
Students use the
SIG-FIG CALCULATOR
in
SCIENCE TOOLS
to complete the second and third
column in the chart below.
Original data Number of significant figures Data with four significant figures
118.6
120
127.308
122.4
130
124.2
121.0
126.5
123.084
125
4
2
6
4
2
4
4
4
6
3
118.6
120.0
127.3
122.4
130.0
124.2
121.0
126.5
123.1
125.0
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