Education
What are Significant Figures and How Students Can Calculate Them Easily?
The significant figures are used to find the accuracy of numbers in practical estimation. It is essential to round off a long figure so we can understand the number easily. We are using certain rules to round off a number; the same rules are implemented by the significant figures calculator. Sometimes it becomes difficult to decide which number to consider and which number we need to ignore.
The significant figures are used precisely to find the result correctly. The significant figures are used when we are dealing with very small and large quantities in Mathematics. There are certain rules to follow when you are extracting a significant figure from a figure. We do need to implement the significant figure at the workplace to make our estimation more precise and accurate.
This article discusses the various rules of the significant figure to convert the figure is easy to understand.
Rules of the significant figures:
There are certain significant figures and we need to follow them while doing the calculations. We can use the sig fig calculator to find the significant figure of a number. The rules of the significant figures are as follows:
Rule of non-zero numbers:
We need to consider all the non-zero numbers as significant numbers regardless of their position in the number. We consider them significant, and there is always an impact of these numbers in the estimation. The significant digits calculator is going to apply all the rules of the significant figure. The non-zero number always has an impact on the estimation, whether they are small or large, like 5.32222223 m/sec. To apply the rules of the non-zero on the estimation, enter the values in the significant figures calculator and press calculate.
Rule of Zero numbers:
The Zeros that are coming in between the non-zero numbers are considered to be significant numbers as they have an impact on the final result of the calculations and check the number by the sig fig converter. The zeros coming between the decimal numbers become significant as they are weighted due to their position in the figure, like 5.50005 m/sec
Rule of leading Zero:
The leading Zeroes coming after the non-zero numbers are considered to be insignificant in the estimation as they have no role in the total estimation or calculations. Consider the number 5.5000 m/sec; here, all the leading Zeros are insignificant as they have no impact on the overall estimation.
Rule of trailing Zero:
The trailing Zeros would become significant if it has a decimal after them, and these Zeroes are considered significant in the estimation and have an impact on the estimation. Consider the number 5.0001 m/sec; now, these Zeros would become significant numbers. The rules of the trailing zero can be applied easily by the significant figures calculator.
These rules would be consistent when we are calculating the significant figure in the estimations.
Why do we round off a number?
The significant figures are critical when we are going to find precise and accurate results. It is impossible for us to read a long figure like 3.2543331. We need to round off the figure to understand it more accurately. The significant number calculator makes the estimation easy for us as these tools can be implemented on long figures, and we can handle and extract the result precisely when dealing with significant figures in the workplace.
The number 3.2543331 is accurate but not easy to understand. We round off the figure and make it 3.25 and make it an easy number to understand for ourselves. You can see we can understand the number 3.25 easily, and it is accurate too.
Conclusion:
When we are doing the estimation in the lab, we may be dealing with the smallest figure or dealing with the large numbers. In both cases, we do need the significant figure to make our estimation more precise and easy to understand. The significant figures calculator
make the task much simpler for us. You need to apply the rules on the values to convert the number according to the significant number rule.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a 14-day ultimatum to 21 state-owned universities over alleged failure to implement key provisions of the 2025 agreement reached with the federal government.
The union warned that the affected universities could be heading for industrial action if their respective authorities fail to resolve the outstanding issues within the two-week window.
The ultimatum was one of the major resolutions reached at ASUU’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at the University of Abuja recently.
In a statement signed by ASUU President, Professor Christopher Piwuna, the union expressed concern over what it described as the “haphazard implementation” of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement, accusing relevant authorities of displaying a lackadaisical attitude towards its implementation.
ASUU said the problem was particularly pronounced in several state universities, where university visitors had allegedly failed to implement the agreement, leaving affected branches with little option but to seek NEC’s approval to commence the process for industrial action.
Consequently, NEC authorised the affected branches to issue 14-day ultimatums to their university authorities, after which strike procedures would commence if the issues remained unresolved.
The universities affected include Nasarawa State University, Keffi; Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai; University of Medical Sciences, Ondo; Gombe State University; Plateau State University, Bokkos; Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba; Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma; Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa; Abia State University, Uturu; and University of Education and Entrepreneurship, Akamkpa.
Others are Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo; Kaduna State University; Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, Wudil; Northwest University, Kano; Enugu State University of Science and Technology; Imo State University, Owerri; Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island; University of Africa, Toru-Orua; Bayelsa Medical University, Yenagoa; and Taraba State University, Jalingo.
According to the union, the 14-day ultimatum is a precondition for the affected branches to begin formal procedures for industrial action.
ASUU said branches in the Sokoto Zone had already issued a similar two-week ultimatum, while NEC would reconvene in an emergency session at the end of August or early September to assess developments and determine the union’s next line of action.
The union also revived its “No-pay-No-work” position, directing branches in federal universities where salaries had been withheld or underpaid to take appropriate action.
It specifically cited affected universities, including universities of agriculture, where members had allegedly received incomplete salaries.
Beyond the salary and agreement implementation disputes, ASUU maintained its opposition to the National Education Repository Databank (NERD), insisting that unresolved questions surrounding its hosting arrangements and intellectual property rights must first be addressed.
The union also waded into the country’s political process, urging its members to participate actively in politics and approving the establishment of an ASUU Independent Monitoring Group.
The group, according to the union, will monitor and observe elections across the country.
Meanwhile, growing insecurity within university campuses also featured prominently in the NEC deliberations.
ASUU expressed concern over attacks and other security incidents that had claimed the lives of members, directing affected branches to engage the police and other relevant security agencies in pursuing justice for victims.
Branches were also mandated to document cases of insecurity and present comprehensive records to the union’s NEC for further action.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has released the results of the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates, with 61.54 per cent of candidates obtaining credits in at least five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.
The Head of WAEC’s Nigeria National Office, Mr Amos Dangut, announced the results at a press briefing in Lagos on Wednesday.
Mr Dangut said 1,200,514 candidates met the benchmark for admission to higher institutions, out of the 1,950,726 candidates who sat the examination nationwide, held between April 24 and June 19.
He said 102,708 examiners were engaged in the marking exercise held at 88 marking venues across the country between 2 July and 20 July.
“Today, I am happy to inform you that all the processes leading to the release of results have been completed. It is now my pleasure to announce the release of the results of candidates who sat the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2026 in Nigeria,” he said, directing candidates to the agency’s portal to access their results.
“UPDATE: 2026 WASSCE (SC) results have been released. Generate your PIN at waec.org and check your results now on waecdirect.org,” the examination body said, noting that candidates must obtain their Serial Number and PIN before they can check their results.
To generate the required credentials, candidates are expected to visit WAEC’s official website and select the “Serial Number and PIN” option at the top of the page.
They are then required to select the appropriate examination year and diet, enter their examination number and National Identification Number (NIN), and ensure that the NIN provided is the same one used during registration for the examination.
Candidates must also provide their email address and phone number to receive a One-Time Password (OTP).
After entering the OTP, candidates can recover their Serial Number and PIN, which they can subsequently use to check their results through WAEC Direct.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Over 200 senior students of Cleggs Girls High School, Surulere, Lagos, were on July 23, 2026, engaged in practical knowledge about the risks associated with smoking, vaping, and shisha.
This engagement was made possible through a collaboration between Breathe Life Foundation and Teach Nigeria Fellow.
Participants were students aged 15–19 years. They were also informed about the misconception that shisha is a safer alternative to cigarettes or other substances.
Through an engaging and interactive discussion, students explored the influence of peer pressure and learned practical strategies for making healthier, more informed lifestyle choices.
They also gained a better understanding of common environmental triggers of asthma and other respiratory conditions, including cigarette smoke, generator fumes, bush burning, mosquito coil smoke, candles, charcoal, and firewood.
The session highlighted an important reality: young people may not always recognise how seemingly routine lifestyle choices and environmental exposures can gradually affect their respiratory health, quality of life, and long-term wellbeing.
For Breathe Life Foundation, this reinforces the importance of shifting the conversation from treatment to prevention through awareness and education.
By equipping young people with the knowledge to identify risks and make healthier choices early, the foundation is helping to build a generation that is more conscious of – and better prepared to protect – its respiratory health.
The organisation said it is dedicated to advancing respiratory health, an often-neglected public health priority. Healthy lungs are essential to life, yet respiratory diseases remain among the world’s leading causes of death and disability, even though many are preventable and treatable.
