Ace the ACS Chemistry Challenge 2025 – Ignite Your Inner Scientist!

When rounding the number 0.9647 to three significant figures, the appropriate focus is on the digits that compose the number and the rules of rounding. The first three significant figures of 0.9647 are 9, 6, and 4.

To determine how to round this number, we look at the next digit, which is 7. According to the rounding rules, if the digit immediately following the last significant figure (in this case, the fourth digit, 7) is 5 or greater, we round the last significant figure (the third digit, 4) up by one.

Since 7 is greater than 5, the 4 increases by 1, leading to 5. Thus, the rounded number becomes 0.965, maintaining three significant figures.

This process ensures that the rounded value accurately reflects the precision inherent in the original number while adhering to the conventions of significant figure notation in scientific contexts.