High School

Select the answer with the correct number of significant figures for the following calculation:

[tex]31.580 + 4.26 =[/tex]

A. 35.8
B. 35.84
C. 35.840

Answer :

To solve this problem, we need to focus on significant figures and ensure that the final answer is presented with the correct level of precision.

1. Addition of Numbers: We begin with the addition:

- Original numbers:
[tex]\[ 31.580 \][/tex]
[tex]\[ +\,4.26 \][/tex]

- Calculating the sum:
[tex]\[ 31.580 + 4.26 = 35.84 \][/tex]

2. Significant Figures Rule for Addition: When adding numbers, the result should be rounded to the number of decimal places present in the number with the least decimal places.

- In this problem:
- [tex]\( 31.580 \)[/tex] has three decimal places.
- [tex]\( 4.26 \)[/tex] has two decimal places.

- Therefore, the sum should be rounded to two decimal places because [tex]\( 4.26 \)[/tex] has the fewest decimal places.

3. Final Result: The correctly rounded sum is:

- [tex]\[ 35.84 \][/tex]

This leads us to the correct answer with the proper number of significant figures:
[tex]\[ \boxed{35.84} \][/tex]