When 0.0003125 is reduced to 3 significant figures its value is

Options

A. `0.00312`
B. `3.125`
C. `0.000312`
D. `0.000313`

Answer

To reduce the number 0.0003125 to three significant figures, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Significant Figures**:
- The number given is 0.0003125. The leading zeros (0.000) are not significant.
- The significant figures start from the first non-zero digit, which is 3 in this case.
- Therefore, the significant figures in 0.0003125 are 3, 1, 2, and 5.

2. **Count the Significant Figures**:
- We have four significant figures: 3, 1, 2, and 5.

3. **Determine How to Round**:
- We need to reduce this number to three significant figures.
- The first three significant figures are 3, 1, and 2. The next digit (the fourth significant figure) is 5.

4. **Apply Rounding Rules**:
- According to rounding rules, if the digit following the last significant figure (which is 2 in this case) is 5 or greater, we round up.
- Since the next digit is 5, we round up the last significant figure (2) by 1.

5. **Write the Result**:
- After rounding, the three significant figures are 3, 1, and 3 (since 2 rounded up becomes 3).
- Thus, the number becomes 0.000313.

6. **Express in Standard Form**:
- To express this in a clearer format, we can write it as 0.000313.

### Final Answer:
The value of 0.0003125 reduced to three significant figures is **0.000313**.

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