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Re: Significant figures calculation

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Erik Max Francis wrote:

> Mel wrote:
>> 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 .
> 
> Not sure what the relevance is, since nobody had mentioned any such thing.
> 
> If it was intended as a gag, I don't catch the reference.

I get giddy once in a while.. push things to limits.  It doesn't really mean 
anything.  The point was that it's only the 2 in a number like 2e6 that is 
taken to have error bars.  The 6 is always an absolute number.  As is the 10 
in 2*10**6.  The thought also crossed my mind of a kind of continued 
fraction in reverse -- 2e1.3e.7 .  I managed to keep quiet about that one.

	Mel.

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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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