To find the total mass of the three granite samples and report it to the appropriate number of significant figures, follow these steps:
1. List the given masses of the granite samples:
- The first sample has a mass of 14.79 grams.
- The second sample has a mass of 86.2 grams.
- The third sample has a mass of 97.874 grams.
2. Add the masses together to find the total mass:
[tex]\[
14.79 + 86.2 + 97.874 = 198.864 \text{ grams}
\][/tex]
3. Determine the appropriate number of significant figures:
- The first sample (14.79 g) has 2 decimal places.
- The second sample (86.2 g) has 1 decimal place.
- The third sample (97.874 g) has 3 decimal places.
When adding numbers, the result should be reported to the smallest number of decimal places present in the given numbers. In this case, the smallest number of decimal places is 1 (from 86.2 g).
4. Round the total mass to the appropriate number of decimal places:
[tex]\[
198.864 \text{ grams rounded to 1 decimal place is } 198.9 \text{ grams}
\][/tex]
5. Conclusion:
- The total mass of the three samples of granite, reported to the appropriate number of significant figures, is 198.9 grams.
