Rounding Decimals
Basics on the topic Rounding Decimals
Rounding Decimals: A Step-by-Step Guide
Welcome to our exciting journey into the world of rounding decimals! Here, we aim to simplify complex numbers, making them more manageable and understandable, by using rounding to different place value.
Rounding Decimals – Definition
Rounding decimals is used in our daily lives very often - it helps when estimating money, measurements or distances - therefore, learning how to round is a valuable skill not only in but also outside of school.
Rounding decimals is about approximating, or estimating, a decimal to a certain place value.
Are you ready to become a rounding expert? Let’s jump in!
Decimals and Rounding
Understanding decimals is key to mastering how to round them. A decimal number represents an equal part of a whole, just like a fraction. If you're new to decimals or need a refresher, our video What is a Decimal? for 4th graders is a perfect starting place.
Rounding decimals is similar to rounding whole numbers. Brush up on this foundational skill by checking out Rounding Multi Digit Numbers for 4th graders.
Feeling confident? Let's proceed to the world of rounding decimals together!
Understanding Rounding Decimals – Rules
When rounding decimals, it is important to follow a few simple rules:
| Rule | Description |
|---|---|
| To round to the nearest tenth | Check the hundredth place |
| To round to the nearest hundredth | Check the thousandth place |
| The determining digit is 5 or higher | Round up |
| The determining digit is lower than 5 | Round down |
Rounding Decimals – Examples
Let’s explore some examples. Imagine rounding the number 3.673:
To the nearest tenth: Look at the hundredth place (7). Since 7 > 5, round up to 3.7.
To the nearest hundredth: Look at the thousandth place (3). Since 3 < 5, round down to 3.67.
Rounding Decimals – Guided Practice
Try rounding the number 9.736 to the nearest tenth.
Try rounding the number 9.736 to the nearest hundredth.
Rounding Decimals – Exercises
Now that you are familiar with rounding rules and have seen a couple of examples, let’s try to complete a couple of trickier rounding exercises.
Rounding Decimals – Summary
A decimal number represents an equal part of a whole, just like a fraction.
Rounding decimals is about approximating, or estimating, a decimal to a certain place value.
Rounding decimals is used in our daily lives very often - it helps when estimating money, measurements or distances.
Rounding to the nearest tenth: Look at the hundredth place. Round up if ≥ 5, otherwise round down.
Rounding to the nearest hundredth: Look at the thousandth place. Round up if ≥ 5, otherwise round down.
Frequently Asked Questions – Rounding decimals
Transcript Rounding Decimals
The day of the long-awaited concert is finally here for Luis and Kai! They have all the details of the journey planned out, but they want to estimate how far they're traveling so they are prepared. We can do this by rounding decimals. Rounding decimals is a process that is used to approximate a number to a specific place value. This is useful in math and when working with money, measurements, and distances to help you get a good estimate. Rounding decimals follows similar steps and rules to rounding whole numbers. First, identify the place value that you are rounding to. If we were rounding to the tenths place, we would start here. Then, look to the digit to the right. If the value of the digit to the right is less than five, keep the number the same. If the value of the digit to the right is five or more, round the number up to the next one. When you write the rounded decimal number, get rid of every digit to the right of the number you are rounding. You only do this when rounding in the decimal places. Luis and Kai are ready for our help now! Their first stop is the train station, which is seven and two thousand three hundred forty-five ten-thousandths of a mile away. Round this number to the hundredth place. Here, we identify the hundredth place, a three. Now look to the right of this value, which is a four. Since four is less than five, we round down, which means the three stays as it is. When we write the rounded decimal, we lose the four and five after the hundredth place, since we rounded to the hundredth place. Seven and two thousand three hundred forty-five ten-thousandths rounded to the hundredth place is seven and twenty-three hundredths! The train station is seven and twenty-three hundredths of a mile away. From the train station, the concert is thirty-five and eight hundred ninety-three thousandths of a mile away. Let's see if we can round this number to the nearest tenths place. Pause the video to solve the problem, and press play when you are ready for the solution. Identify the tenth place value, which is eight. Look to the value to the right, which is a nine. Nine is five and above, so we round up. Thirty-five and eight hundred ninety-three thousandths to the nearest tenth place is thirty-five and nine tenths. The concert is thirty-five and nine-tenths of a mile away. Before we check out the concert, let's wrap it up! To summarize, rounding decimals is a similar process to rounding whole numbers. Simply identify the place value you're rounding, and look at the digit to the right. If it's less than five, round down, and if it's five and above, round up, and then drop every digit after the place value you're rounding to. "This is the best concert ever, Luis!"
Rounding Decimals exercise
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Approximately how far is it to the concert?
HintsTo round to the nearest tenth, look at the digit in the tenths place and then at the digit to the right.
If it is 4 or below, keep the value in the tenths place the same. If it is 5 or above, round up.
To round to the nearest hundredth, look at the digit in the hundredths place and then at the digit to the right.
If it is 4 or below, keep the value in the hundredths place the same. If it is 5 or above, round up.
Solution17.9374
Rounded to the nearest tenth: 17.9 miles
- Look at the digit in the tenths place, 9, then look at the digit to the right, 3, so we keep the value in the tenths place the same.
- Look at the digit in the hundredths place, 3, then look at the digit to the right, 7, so we round up.
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Can you round these numbers to the nearest tenth?
HintsLook at the number in the tenths place and then at the digit to the right.
If the digit to the right is 4 or below, keep the value in the tenths place the same.
If the digit to the right is 5 or above, round up.
For example, if we were round 3.583 to the nearest tenth, we would look at the digit in the tenths place which is 5.
We would then look at the digit to the right which is 8. This means we would round up.
3.583 rounded to the nearest tenth is 3.6.
SolutionHere we can see the matching pairs.
- 21.234 rounded to the nearest tenth is 21.2
- 28.875 rounded to the nearest tenth is 28.9
- 21.438 rounded to the nearest tenth is 21.4
- 28.1023 rounded to the nearest tenth is 28.1
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Can you round these decimals?
HintsRemember, if the digit to the right of the digit you are rounding to is 4 or below, the digit you are rounding to stays the same.
If it is 5 or above, round up.
If you are rounding to the nearest tenth, there should be one digit to the right of the decimal point.
If you are rounding to the nearest hundredth, there should be two digits to the right of the decimal point.
Let's work through an example:
Round 1.3156 to the nearest hundredth.
We would round up because the digit to the right of the hundredth place is 5 or above.
The correct answer would be 1.32.
Solution1) Round 8.7493 to the nearest hundredth.
Correct answer: 8.75
2) Round 4.5932 to the nearest tenth.
Correct answer: 4.6
3) Round 17.6434 to the nearest hundredth.
Correct answer: 17.64
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Round these decimals to the nearest hundredth.
HintsWhen rounding to the nearest hundredth, look at the digit in the hundredths place and then at the digit to the right.
If the digit to the right is 4 or below, keep the number the same.
If the digit to the right is 5 or above, round up.
For example, in 12.6653, there is a 6 in the hundredths place and the number to the right is 5. This means we round up.
SolutionNumbers that round to 12.34
- 12.3376
- 12.3445
- 12.3412
- 12.4521
- 12.4487
- 12.6653
- 12.6743
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To the nearest tenth, how far away is the party?
HintsWhen rounding to the nearest tenth, look at the digit in the tenths place and then at the digit to the right.
If the digit to the right is 4 or below, keep the value in the tenths place the same.
If the digit to the right is 5 or above round up.
Here, the digit to the right is 8, so we need to round up.
The correct answer has one digit to the right of the decimal point.
SolutionThe correct answer is 2.5 miles.
When rounding 2.4832 to the nearest tenth, we look at the digit in the tenths place, 4, and then at the digit to the right, 8.
As 8 is 5 or above, we round up.
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The journey to the theme park.
HintsWhen rounding to the nearest tenth, look at the digit in the tenths place and then at the digit to the right.
When rounding to the nearest hundredth, look at the digit in the hundredths place and then at the digit to the right.
If the digit to the right of the digit you are rounding to is 4 or below, keep the value the same.
If it is 5 or above, round up.
For example, 8.4784 miles rounded to the nearest tenth would be 8.5 miles. This is because there is a 4 in the tenths place and a 7 to the right of this. 7 is 5 or above so we round up.
8.4784 miles rounded to the nearest hundredth would be 8.48 miles. This is because there is a 7 in the hundredths place and an 8 to the right of this. 8 is 5 or above so we round up.
SolutionThe car sets off from Kai's house to go to Luis' house 2.4376 miles away. Rounded to the nearest tenth, this is 2.4 miles away. They then continue to the service station which is 23.7845 miles from Luis' house. Rounded to the nearest hundredth, this is 23.78 miles.
From here, the theme park is 37.6578 miles. Rounded to the nearest tenth, this is 37.7 miles.
During the day, Kai and Luis walk 6.5598 miles around the park. Rounded to the nearest hundredth, this is 6.56 miles. They had a great day!
