Re: Sig Figures

[newboltw <NewboltW@MADISON.ACAD.WLU.EDU>]

> Date:          Wed, 02 Feb 2000 09:33:17 -0700
> From:          Jim Green <JMGreen@SISNA.COM>
> Subject:       Re: Sig Figures
> To:            PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu
> Reply-to:      "phys-l@lists.nau.edu: Forum for Physics Educators"
>                <PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu>

> I have found this thread very instructive -- not really about sig figs, but
> about how members of the list deal with new material:
>
> After the original question there was a plethora of responses the likes of
> "Well I have always done it this way."  Then someone (I think it was Leigh)
> who says "No No No That ain't correct.  (With whom I agree BTW)  Then the
> thread divides into two paths: one, which says something like "This is the
> way I have always done it and that is good enough for me. Or "I read it in
> a text which was published in 1902 and therefore it must be correct."  And
> the other path, which was taken by only one or two who made an analysis of
> the proposal and came to some conclusion based on thought. (I don't
> remember who they were as the quotes of quotes of quotes became too deep to
> follow.)
>
> However, no one responded with "Oh, yes, that _is_ a better way to look at
> the issue. I will strive to adopt it in my thinking and teaching."
>
> Now folks, if we are not here to gain new insights into the teaching of
> physics, why are we here? Well, yes, some are here because they want to
> show off how much physics they know and would otherwise be bored to death
> -- and, alas,  some are here because they want desperately to learn -- to
> get questions answered so they can become better teachers.
>
> But most of us are Luddites who have nothing better to do.
>
> I can't tell you how much better I feel now.
> Jim Green
> mailto:JMGreen@sisna.com
> http://users.sisna.com/jmgreen

I'm glad you feel better Jim, but there are matters of emphasis here
which are important.  My own feeling is that we should try to foster
some ability in the student experimenter to evaluate the accuracy of
his result and choose a way of stating his result that reflects that.

Having said that I must admit that I hate to spend time on a lot of
arbitrary rules about sig. figs. and the standard deviation when
there are so many more interesting things to study about.  WBN
Barlow Newbolt
Department of Physics and Engineering
Washington and Lee University
Lexington, VA 24450

Young man if I could remember the names of all of
these particles I would have become a botanist
                        Enrico Fermi
Telephone and Phone Mail:  540-463-8881
Fax: 540-463-8884
e-mail: NewboltW@madison.acad.wlu.edu