After measuring the mass of water, the data is averaged and it is determined that the mean of 4 measurements is 122.4 g with a standard deviation of 1.3 g. How many significant figures are in the mean value based on the standard deviation?
To determine the number of significant figures in the mean value, we need to consider the number of significant figures in the standard deviation.
The standard deviation is given as 1.3 g. This value has three significant figures.
When finding the mean, we need to consider the number of decimal places based on the least precise measurement. In this case, the standard deviation has one decimal place (1.3 g). Therefore, the mean value should also have one decimal place.
So, the mean value of 122.4 g, based on the standard deviation, has three significant figures and one decimal place.