How many significant figures in 500?
500 has 1 significant figure. Whole numbers that end in zeros are open to doubt. Written 5.00 × 10², the same value has 3 significant figures.
Significant figures
Tap a digit to see why it counts.
Round to
500→5 × 10²Written as 500 the trailing zeros are open to doubt.
Nothing is dropped.
Add, subtract, multiply, divide
- 4.2374 significant figures
- 2.513 significant figures
Exact result1.68804780876
Multiply or divide: keep the fewest significant figures.
Digit by digit
- 5
Non-zero digit: countsEvery non-zero digit is significant.
- 00
Trailing zero, no point: does not countTrailing zeros in a number without a decimal point are not counted. Write 1.00 × 10² to make them count.
5 × 10²
Nearby numbers
Rounding a value? See 2.745 to 3 significant figures.
500: quick answers
How many significant figures does 500 have?
500 has 1 significant figure. In 500, trailing zeros with no decimal point are not counted. Whole numbers that end in zeros are open to doubt. Written 5.00 × 10², the same value has 3 significant figures.
Why is 500 open to doubt?
Without a decimal point the trailing zeros are not counted, so 500 has 1 significant figure. To show 2 or more, write it in scientific notation, for example 5.00 × 10².
Can a number have fewer than one significant figure?
No. 500 already has the fewest, 1 significant figure.