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Re: Significant figures calculation

From Mel <mwilson@the-wire.com>
Newsgroups comp.lang.python
Subject Re: Significant figures calculation
Followup-To comp.lang.python
Date 2011-06-28 07:47 -0400
Organization Aioe.org NNTP Server
Message-ID <iucf07$au9$1@speranza.aioe.org> (permalink)
References (4 earlier) <db874e1f-a827-459c-aa22-5b915e70b682@a11g2000yqm.googlegroups.com> <mailman.463.1309207197.1164.python-list@python.org> <4e0942d1$0$29987$c3e8da3$5496439d@news.astraweb.com> <mailman.466.1309231012.1164.python-list@python.org> <pfSdnd1Y2YLS05TTnZ2dnUVZ5hidnZ2d@giganews.com>

Followups directed to: comp.lang.python

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Erik Max Francis wrote:

> Chris Angelico wrote:
>> On Tue, Jun 28, 2011 at 12:56 PM, Steven D'Aprano
>> <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> wrote:
>>> Zero sig figure: 0
> 
> That's not really zero significant figures; without further
> qualification, it's one.
> 
>> Is 0.0 one sig fig or two?
> 
> Two.
> 
>> (Just vaguely curious. Also curious as to
>> whether a zero sig figures value is ever useful.)
> 
> Yes.  They're order of magnitude estimates.  1 x 10^6 has one
> significant figure.  10^6 has zero.

By convention, nobody ever talks about 1 x 9.97^6 .

	Mel.

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Thread

Significant figures calculation Harold <dadapapa@googlemail.com> - 2011-06-24 13:05 -0700
  Re: Significant figures calculation Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2011-06-24 20:46 +0000
    Re: Significant figures calculation Jerry Hill <malaclypse2@gmail.com> - 2011-06-24 16:58 -0400
      Re: Significant figures calculation steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info - 2011-06-25 10:31 +1000
      Re: Significant figures calculation Chris Torek <nospam@torek.net> - 2011-06-25 19:04 +0000
        Re: Significant figures calculation Harold <dadapapa@googlemail.com> - 2011-06-26 08:35 -0700
          Re: Significant figures calculation Dave Angel <davea@ieee.org> - 2011-06-27 08:04 -0400
        Re: Significant figures calculation Harold <dadapapa@googlemail.com> - 2011-06-27 06:40 -0700
          Re: Significant figures calculation Ethan Furman <ethan@stoneleaf.us> - 2011-06-27 13:53 -0700
            Re: Significant figures calculation Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2011-06-28 12:56 +1000
              Re: Significant figures calculation Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-06-28 13:16 +1000
                Re: Significant figures calculation Erik Max Francis <max@alcyone.com> - 2011-06-27 20:45 -0700
                Re: Significant figures calculation Mel <mwilson@the-wire.com> - 2011-06-28 07:47 -0400
                Re: Significant figures calculation Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-06-28 21:57 +1000
                Re: Significant figures calculation Erik Max Francis <max@alcyone.com> - 2011-06-28 11:54 -0700
                Re: Significant figures calculation Mel <mwilson@the-wire.com> - 2011-06-28 16:47 -0400
                Re: Significant figures calculation Erik Max Francis <max@alcyone.com> - 2011-06-28 14:01 -0700
                Re: Significant figures calculation Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2011-06-28 18:35 +1000
                Re: Significant figures calculation Erik Max Francis <max@alcyone.com> - 2011-06-28 11:59 -0700
              Re: Significant figures calculation Erik Max Francis <max@alcyone.com> - 2011-06-27 20:49 -0700
          Re: Significant figures calculation Ethan Furman <ethan@stoneleaf.us> - 2011-06-27 15:58 -0700
    Re: Significant figures calculation Harold <dadapapa@googlemail.com> - 2011-06-24 18:50 -0700

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