What is the percent uncertainty in the measurement $5.48 \pm 0.25 \textrm{ m}$?

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

This is Giancoli Answers with Mr. Dychko. Percent uncertainty is the absolute uncertainty or the uncertainty you know, in the same units that you are measuring in—meters in this case— so 0.25 meters divided by the measurement of 5.48 meters times by 100 percent and you get 4.6 percent and here's the calculator showing you that and there's two significant figures in most uncertainties. You know, it's hard to have very many significant figures in an uncertainty because well, it's not something you are directly measuring the uncertainty itself is just an estimate too. So you'll never have more than two significant figures in an uncertainty, maybe even one is better; you might write 5 percent, that would also be fine.