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[Phys-L] Re: infinite sig. figs.



Hi all-
I totally don't understand Delury (as quoted).
There is an ongoing experiment to measure the g-2 of the muon.
The predicted value is based upon the measured value of the fine structure
constant. The predicted value accordingly has a quoted uncertainy.
Regards,
Jack




On Thu, 22 Sep 2005, Strickert, Rick wrote:

I recommend your students read Daniel B. Delury's "Computations with
approximate numbers", _The Mathematics Teacher_, Vol. LI, No. 7, Nov.,
1958, pp.521-30; reprinted in _Precision Measurements and Calibration,
Selected NBS Papers on Statistical Concepts and Procedures_, Harry H.
Ku, Editor, NBS Special Publication 300 - Volume 1, February, 1969.

Delury notes: "Significant numbers are not good numbers to calculate
with, because the result of any computation with a significant number is
not a significant number... For this reason, people who take their
computations seriously do not use significant numbers, nor do they
necessarily state the results as significant numbers." (p. 523)

Rick Strickert
Austin, TX


--
"Trust me. I have a lot of experience at this."
General Custer's unremembered message to his men,
just before leading them into the Little Big Horn Valley
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