Significant figures calculation

[Erik Max Francis]

Mel wrote:
> Erik Max Francis wrote:
> 
>> Chris Angelico wrote:
>>> On Tue, Jun 28, 2011 at 12:56 PM, Steven D'Aprano
>>> <steve+comp.lang.python at pearwood.info> wrote:
>>>> Zero sig figure: 0
>> That's not really zero significant figures; without further
>> qualification, it's one.
>>
>>> Is 0.0 one sig fig or two?
>> Two.
>>
>>> (Just vaguely curious. Also curious as to
>>> whether a zero sig figures value is ever useful.)
>> Yes.  They're order of magnitude estimates.  1 x 10^6 has one
>> significant figure.  10^6 has zero.
> 
> By convention, nobody ever talks about 1 x 9.97^6 .

Not sure what the relevance is, since nobody had mentioned any such thing.

If it was intended as a gag, I don't catch the reference.

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