1. The problem is to understand what significant figures are and how to determine them in a number. 2. Significant figures (sig figs) are the digits in a number that carry meaningful information about its precision. This includes all non-zero digits, any zeros between them, and trailing zeros in the decimal part. 3. Rules for counting significant figures: - All non-zero digits are significant. - Zeros between non-zero digits are significant. - Leading zeros are not significant. - Trailing zeros in a decimal number are significant. 4. Example: Determine the number of significant figures in 0.004560. - Leading zeros (0.00) are not significant. - Digits 4, 5, 6 are significant. - The trailing zero after 6 is significant because it is after the decimal point. - Total significant figures = 4. 5. Understanding significant figures helps in reporting measurements accurately and performing calculations with appropriate precision.