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When you open your html file in your browser, the text shown in Figure 5 should appear in the browser window.

Figure 5 . Screen output from Listing #3.
aSum = 3463.65 bDiff = -29.329product = -101585.39085000001 final = -1.0159e+5The End

The more stringent procedure

The code in Listing 3 implements the more stringent procedure , not because it is necessarily the correct one. Rather, it is simpler toimplement in a script.

Do addition and subtraction first

Listing 3 begins by adding two numbers, adjusting the precision to the least precise of the two numbers, and saving the result in the variable named aSum .

Then Listing 3 subtracts one number from another number, adjusts the precision to the least precise of the two numbers, and saves the result in thevariable named bDiff .

Display to get information on significant figures

Both results are displayed immediately after they are obtained. This is necessary for me to know which one has the least number of significant figures.I need to know that to be able to properly adjust the number of significant figures in the final product.

In other words, it was necessary for me to write and execute the addition/subtraction portion of the script in order to get the informationrequired to write the remainder of the script.

Do the multiplication

Then Listing 3 multiplies the sum and difference values and displays the result in the default format with far too many significant figures as shown bythe third line of text in Figure 5 .

Finally Listing 3 adjusts the number of significant figures in the product based on the number of significant figures in bDiff and displays the final result with five significant figures in normalized scientific(exponential) notation.

Run the scripts

I encourage you to run the scripts that I have presented in this lesson to confirm that you get the same results. Copy the code for each script into atext file with an extension of html. Then open that file in your browser. Experiment with the code, making changes, and observing the results of your changes. Makecertain that you can explain why your changes behave as they do.

Resources

I will publish a module containing consolidated links to resources on my Connexions web page and will update and add to the list as additional modulesin this collection are published.

Miscellaneous

This section contains a variety of miscellaneous information.

Housekeeping material
  • Module name: Scientific Notation and Significant Figures
  • File: Phy1040.htm
  • Revised: 10/01/15
  • Keywords:
    • physics
    • accessible
    • blind
    • screen reader
    • Braille display
    • JavaScript
    • scientific notation
    • significant figures
    • accuracy
    • precision
Disclaimers:

Financial : Although the openstax CNX site makes it possible for you to download a PDF file for the collection that contains thismodule at no charge, and also makes it possible for you to purchase a pre-printed version of the PDF file, you should beaware that some of the HTML elements in this module may not translate well into PDF.

You also need to know that Prof. Baldwin receives no financial compensation from openstax CNX even if you purchase the PDF version of the collection.

In the past, unknown individuals have copied Prof. Baldwin's modules from cnx.org, converted them to Kindle books, and placed them for sale on Amazon.com showing Prof. Baldwin as the author.Prof. Baldwin neither receives compensation for those sales nor does he know who doesreceive compensation. If you purchase such a book, please be aware that it is a copy of a collection that is freelyavailable on openstax CNX and that it was made and published without the prior knowledge of Prof. Baldwin.

Affiliation : Prof. Baldwin is a professor of Computer Information Technology at Austin Community College in Austin, TX.

-end-

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Source:  OpenStax, Accessible physics concepts for blind students. OpenStax CNX. Oct 02, 2015 Download for free at https://legacy.cnx.org/content/col11294/1.36
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