Math can only be performed on numbers you actually measure, not on the "underlying reality" you cannot perceive This is basic to how science works, if you forget about it you fuck things up https://t.co/3uCfkl2cxs
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When I was doing for chemistry class stoichiometry (not anymore!), we were dealing with precision at the level of the atom. Had I messed up on how many atoms of carbon there were somewhere? At no point have I ever dealt with a tool that was even close to managing this.
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We never even got the absolute top tier equipment. We were absolutely dealing with "good enough" because we didn't have that kind of money and it wasn't necessary anyway.
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If you have 1 significant digit and are adding two values, then you only factor in the values you encountered at the level of significance. If you re-measure afterwards, you're not adding. You're re-measuring and defeating the purpose of using a significant digit.
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Yes, in this sense "2+2=5" is a statement that putting naive faith in the addition function (where it's a rule that 2+2 always = 4) is a mistake "Always make them weigh them together if you can", don't unnecessarily allow rounding errors to accumulate
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