ASTM E 29 Yr 13
ASTM E 29 Yr 13
ASTM E 29 Yr 13
1. Scope*
1.1 This practice is intended to assist the various technical
committees in the use of uniform methods of indicating the
number of digits which are to be considered significant in
specification limits, for example, specified maximum values
and specified minimum values. Its aim is to outline methods
which should aid in clarifying the intended meaning of
specification limits with which observed values or calculated
test results are compared in determining conformance with
specifications.
1.2 This practice is intended to be used in determining
conformance with specifications when the applicable ASTM
specifications or standards make direct reference to this practice.
1.3 Reference to this practice is valid only when a choice of
method has been indicated, that is, either absolute method or
rounding method.
1.4 The system of units for this practice is not specified. Dimensional quantities in the practice are presented only
as illustrations of calculation methods. The examples are not
binding on products or test methods treated.
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
2. Referenced Documents
2.1 ASTM Standards:2
E177 Practice for Use of the Terms Precision and Bias in
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1
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E11 on Quality and
Statistics and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E11.30 on Statistical
Quality Control.
Current edition approved Aug. 1, 2013. Published August 2013. Originally
approved in 1940. Last previous edition approved in 2008 as E29 08. DOI:
10.1520/E0029-13.
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
Standards volume information, refer to the standards Document Summary page on
the ASTM website.
Copyright ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
Provided by IHS under license with ASTM
No reproduction or networking permitted without license from IHS
E29 13
3.1.4.3 DiscussionTo eliminate ambiguity, the exponential notation may be used. Thus, 1.40 105 indicates that the
modulus is reported to the nearest 0.01 105 or 1000 Pa.
3.1.4.4 DiscussionUse of appropriate SI prefixes is recommended for metric units to reduce the need for trailing zeros
of uncertain significance. Thus, 140 kPa (without the decimal
point) indicates that the modulus is reported either to the
nearest 10 or 1 kPa, which is ambiguous with respect to the
number of significant digits. However, 0.140 MPa clearly
indicates that the modulus is reported to the nearest 1 kPa, and
0.14 MPa clearly indicates that the modulus is reported to the
nearest 10 kPa.
3.1.5 test result, nthe value of a characteristic obtained by
E2282
carrying out a specified test method.
4. Significance and Use
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4.1 This practice describes two commonly accepted methods of rounding data, identified as the Absolute Method and the
Rounding Method. In the applications of this practice to a
specific material or materials it is essential to specify which
method is intended to apply. In the absence of such
specification, reference to this practice, which expresses no
preference as to which method should apply, would be meaningless. The choice of method depends upon the current
practice of the particular branch of industry or technology
concerned, and should therefore be specified in the prime
publication.
4.1.1 The unqualified statement of a numerical limit, such as
2.50 in. max, cannot, in view of different established
practices and customs, be regarded as carrying a definite
operational meaning concerning the number of digits to be
retained in an observed or a calculated value for purposes of
determining conformance with specifications.
4.1.2 Absolute MethodIn some fields, specification limits
of 2.5 in. max, 2.50 in. max, and 2.500 in. max are all taken to
imply the same absolute limit of exactly two and a half inches
and for purposes of determining conformance with
specifications, an observed value or a calculated value is to be
compared directly with the specified limit. Thus, any deviation,
however small, outside the specification limit signifies nonconformance with the specifications. This will be referred to as the
absolute method, which is discussed in Section 5.
4.1.3 Rounding MethodIn other fields, specification limits
of 2.5 in. max, 2.50 in. max, 2.500 in. max are taken to imply
that, for the purposes of determining conformance with
specifications, an observed value or a calculated value should
be rounded to the nearest 0.1 in., 0.01 in., 0.001 in.,
respectively, and then compared with the specification limit.
This will be referred to as the rounding method,which is
discussed in Section 6.
4.2 Section 7 of this practice gives guidelines for use in
recording, calculating, and reporting the final result for test
data.
5. Absolute Method
5.1 Where ApplicableThe absolute method applies where
it is the intent that all digits in an observed value or a calculated
value are to be considered significant for purposes of deterProvided by IHS under license with ASTM
No reproduction or networking permitted without license from IHS
Volumetric ToleranceA
mL
10
25
50
100
0.02
0.03
0.05
0.10
A
Tolerance limits specified are absolute limits as defined in Practice E29, for Using
Significant Digits in Test Data to Determine Conformance with Specifications.
6. Rounding Method
6.1 Where ApplicableThe rounding method applies where
it is the intent that a limited number of digits in an observed
value or a calculated value are to be considered significant for
purposes of determining conformance with specifications.
6.2 How AppliedWith the rounding method, an observed
value or a calculated value should be rounded by the procedure
prescribed in 4.1.3 to the nearest unit in the designated place of
figures stated in the standard, as, for example, to the nearest
kPa, to the nearest 10 ohms, to the nearest 0.1 percent,
etc. The rounded value should then be compared with the
specified limit, and conformance or nonconformance with the
specification based on this comparison.
6.3 How ExpressedThis intent may be expressed in the
standard in one of the following forms:
6.3.1 If the rounding method is to apply to all specified
limits in the standard, and if all digits expressed in the
specification limit are to be considered significant, this may be
indicated by including the following statement in the standard:
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Not for Resale,12/05/2014 12:33:37 MST
E29 13
The following applies to all specified limits in this standard: For purposes of
determining conformance with these specifications, an observed value or a
calculated value shall be rounded to the nearest unit in the last right-hand digit
used in expressing the specification limit, in accordance with the rounding
method of ASTM Practice E29, for Using Significant Digits in Test Data to Determine Conformance with Specifications.
4.5 0.5
1.0 max
2.5 0.5
0.5 max
remainder
57
14
...
...
...
...
...
18
3
0.40
0.25
0.03
remainder
Specified Limit
Tensile Requirements
Tensile strength, psi
Yield point, min, psi
Elongation in 2 in., min %
60 000 to 72 000
33 000
22
Observed
Value or
Calculated
Value
35 940
h 35 950
35 960
Nickel, 57 %, mass,
min
56.4
h 56.5
56.6
Water extract
conductivity, 40
ms/m, max
h 40.5
40.4
Sodium bicarbonate
0.5 %, max, dry
mass basis
h 0.55
40.6
0.54
0.56
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3
The rounding procedure given in this practice is the same as the one given in
the ASTM Manual 7 on Presentation of Data and Control Chart Analysis.
To Be
Rounded
to Nearest
100 psi
100 psi
100 psi
Rounded
Value to be Conforms
Used for
with
Purposes of Specified
Determining
Limit
Conformance
35 900
36 000
36 000
no
yes
yes
1%
1%
1%
56
56
57
no
no
yes
1 ms/m
1 ms/m
1 ms/m
40
40
41
yes
yes
no
0.1 %
0.1 %
0.1 %
0.5
0.6
0.6
yes
no
no
These examples are meant to illustrate rounding rules and do not necessarily
reflect the usual number of digits associated with these test methods.
E29 13
NOTE 3A rationale for this rule is derived from Sheppards adjustment for grouping, which represents the standard deviation of a rounded
test result by = 2 1w 2 /12 where is the standard deviation of the
unrounded test result and w is the rounding interval. The quantity w/ =12
is the standard deviation of an error uniformly distributed over the range
w. Rounding so that w is below 0.5 ensures that the standard deviation
is increased by at most 1 %.
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E29 13
Examples:
(1) 1 0.23/2 = 0.88 where the numbers 1 and 2 are exact and 0.23 is an
approximate quantity.
(2 ) A count of 50 pieces times a measured thickness 0.124 mm is
50 0.124 = 6.20 mm, having three significant figures.
(3) A measurement of 1.634 in. to the nearest thousandth, is converted to mm.
The result, 1.634 25.4 = 41.50 mm, has four significant digits. The conversion
constant, 25.4, is exact.
8. Keywords
8.1 absolute method; conformance; rounding; significant
digits; specifications; test data
SUMMARY OF CHANGES
Committee E11 has identified the location of selected changes to this standard since the last issue (E29 08)
that may impact the use of this standard. (Approved Aug. 1, 2013.)
(1) Revised 7.4, 7.4.1.1, 7.4.1.2, and Note 3.
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