SIGNIFICANT FIGURE Definition & Meaning

significant figure

[ sig-nif-i-kuhnt fig-yer ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

each of the digits forming a number that expresses a determined degree of calculation: a sequence of significant figures always begins with the number’s first nonzero digit:
Rounding each of the measurements to three significant figures, your answers to the first two problems should be 19.0 inches and 4.52 kilometers, respectively.

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of significant figure¹

First recorded in 1610–20

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Who would have guessed he’d not only go to become president, twice, but emerge as the most dominant and significant figure on the national scene since Franklin D. Roosevelt?

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And with so many significant figures in the history of the nation tracing their roots back to the island of Ireland, many familiar faces will be vying to be on the guest list.

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He went on to work for MGM and became known as a significant figure in reality television.

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Whatever the public perception, Vance’s ambitions and adaptability suggest he is poised to remain a significant figure in American politics for years to come.

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Mike Lynch had been a significant figure in the UK tech industry since helping to establish Cambridge Neurodynamics - a firm that specialised in using computer-based detection and recognition of fingerprints.

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