Neither method is completely correct. Your rules 3 and 4 are not always correct. Especially not rule four. (Rule 3 is probably ok)
For instance.
my bookcase is 900mm long. In this case one of the zeros is definitely significant. Maybe both.
so it depends on the exact situation as to whether zeros to the imediate left of the point are significant.
Your physical science teacher does not know what he is talking about. How rude am I.
I'd like to explain better but im on my phone and it makes everything harder.