How many significant figures does the number 1.006 × 10^3 have?

• A. 4
• B. 1
• C. 2
• D. 3

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the digits in the number 1.006 × 10^3. The number is written in scientific notation, where 1.006 is the coefficient and 10^3 is the power of ten.
2. Recall the rule for significant figures in scientific notation: all digits in the coefficient (the number before the × 10^n) are significant.
3. Count all the digits in the coefficient 1.006. This includes the digits 1, 0, 0, and 6.
4. Note that zeros between nonzero digits are significant, so both zeros in 1.006 count as significant figures.
5. Conclude that the number 1.006 × 10^3 has 4 significant figures because the coefficient has 4 digits that are all significant.