Applying this rule to the previous multiplication example, we see that the answer for the area can have only two significant figures because our measured quantities have only two significant figures. Thus, all we can claim is that the area is 35 cm2, realizing that the value can range between (5.4 cm)(6.3 cm) $ 34 cm2 and (5.6 cm)(6.5 cm) $ 36 cm2