How Many Significant Figures Are in 10?
10= 1 significant figure (minimum)
Why 10 has 1 sig fig
10 is a whole number with one trailing zero and no decimal point. The digit 1 is definitely significant. The trailing zero is ambiguous — it could be a placeholder or a significant digit. Without further context (a decimal point or scientific notation), we can only say 10 has at least 1 sig fig.
Rule applied
Trailing zeros in whole numbers without a decimal point are ambiguous (Rule 5). See full rule →
How to remove the ambiguity in 10
⚠️ This number is ambiguous as written
To remove ambiguity: 10. = 2 sig figs. 1.0 × 10¹ = 2 sig figs. 1 × 10¹ = 1 sig fig.