Quote:
Originally Posted by Taylor95
Unfortunately I see problems with significant figures all the time. For example, nutrition students I evaluate sometimes like to estimate calorie requirements to the tenth or even one hundredth. It is pointless to do that because I would say most people would have trouble reporting within 100 calories of their actual intake.
The number of decimal places used should always correspond to practicality of being so specific as well as the sensitivity of the data collection tools. I would argue that it is pointless reporting FE averages to the tenth. There is too much variation in fuel pump cutoffs and odometer accuracy for the tenth decimal place to matter in FE averages. Also the more data points you have the less individial variation matters.
However, if you can measure FE in a somewhat controlled environment, then I can see justifying going to the tenth decimal place.
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Yeah, I am amazed that's its even a topic for debate - shows how much some people here lose the wood for the trees.
At minimum, it certainly shows how little contact some people here have with any science, physics, etc. Or even, just car modification generally?