What is the diameter of a penny

What is the diameter of a penny? Record your answer to the correct precision. God #F Trust 4 Taty 2005 0 cm 2 half cm Length 1.85
What is the diameter of a penny? Record your answer to the correct precision. God #F Trust 4 Taty 2005 0 cm 2 half cm Length 1.85

The Correct Answer and Explanation is:

Correct Answer:
The diameter of a U.S. penny is 1.90 cm.


Explanation

To determine the diameter of a U.S. penny accurately and to the correct precision, we need to rely on both empirical data and proper scientific measurement practices.

According to the U.S. Mint, the official diameter of a penny (one-cent coin) is 0.75 inches, which converts to 1.905 centimeters. When recording measurements in science, the correct precision is determined by the measuring instrument or the number of significant figures used.

In the scenario you’ve described, a length was given as 1.85 cm, which might be a visual estimate or measurement taken with a ruler. However, this is slightly lower than the actual standard value. The most accurate and accepted measurement is 1.905 cm, but when recording it to the correct precision using a ruler marked in millimeters (which is common in student labs), we would typically round to two decimal places — yielding 1.90 cm.

This level of precision (two decimal places) is appropriate when using standard classroom tools like a metric ruler. If a ruler has markings every 0.1 cm, you can estimate one additional digit, so recording the diameter as 1.90 cm is consistent with the significant figures rule in science.

Additionally, it’s important to distinguish precision from accuracy. The measured value (e.g., 1.85 cm) might be close but not precise enough, and may reflect parallax error or rounding down. The true diameter is still 1.905 cm, but for practical purposes and proper rounding rules, we report it as 1.90 cm.

Lastly, the text in your question like “God #F Trust 4 Taty 2005” appears to be a misreading or misprint of “In God We Trust – Liberty – 2005”, which are the actual inscriptions found on a 2005 U.S. penny. This helps confirm that the coin being measured is indeed a penny.

Final Recorded Diameter (with correct precision): 1.90 cm

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