Physics quiz question: greatest number of significant figures

Physics 205A Quiz 1, fall semester 2013
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

The measurement with the greatest number of significant figures is:
(A) 3.28084×10² ft.
(B) 26.21875 mi.
(C) 25.4 mm.
(D) 93,000,000 mi.
(E) (There is a tie.)

Correct answer (highlight to unhide): (B)

Significant digits are denoted by the digits in green below (and digits in yellow are not significant). Response (A) has six significant figures. Response (B) has seven significant figures. Response (C) has three significant figures. Response (D) has only two significant figures, as the trailing zeroes are ambiguous as there is no explicit decimal point indicated.
(A) 3.28084×10² ft.
(B) 26.21875 mi.
(C) 25.4 mm.
(D) 93,000,000 mi.

Sections 70854, 70855, 73320
Exam code: quiz01cH3E
(A) : 0 students
(B) : 62 students
(C) : 2 students
(D) : 5 students
(E) : 5 students

Success level: 82%
Discrimination index (Aubrecht & Aubrecht, 1983): 0.60