0-4 Rounding and Estimating

Rounding
To round a number, look at the place next to the one you are rounding.
If that place is a 5 or higher, you will round up;
otherwise, leave the number alone.
Whole number

Look here to
round to the
nearest TEN.
 Tenth
(1 decimal
place)

Look here to
round to the
nearest
WHOLE
NUMBER.
Hundredth
(2 decimal
places)

Look here to
round to the
nearest
TENTH.
Thousandths
(3 decimal
places)

Look here to
round to the
nearest
HUNDREDTH.
Estimate by
ROUNDING

sum (+) or
difference (-)
1. Identify the smallest number in the list.
2. Identify the first nonzero digit (from the left).
3. Round all the numbers to this place value.
4. Add or subtract the rounded numbers.

85 594 307 85 is the smallest, so

90 590 310 round to 90 (tens).
990
Estimate by Estimate by
ROUNDING ROUNDING

sum (+) or product ( )

difference (-)
 1. Round each number to the greatest
Estimate by place value.
ROUNDING 2. Multiply the rounded numbers.

sum (+) or 38.7 5.1

difference (-) 40 5
200
Estimate by Estimate by
ROUNDING ROUNDING

sum (+) or product ( )

difference (-)

Estimate by
CLUSTERING
48 52
49
51
19 21
20 22
18
 Estimate by Estimate by
ROUNDING ROUNDING

sum (+) or product ( )

difference (-)

When you are estimating a sum, sometimes all of the

numbers are close to the same value.
1. Decide on the value that all the numbers are close to.
2. Round each number to that value.
3. Use multiplication to find that estimate.

77 82 79 81 77 Each number is close

to 80.
80 80 80 80 80
5 80 400
Estimate by Estimate by
ROUNDING ROUNDING

sum (+) or product ( )

difference (-)

Estimate by
CLUSTERING Estimate by

48 52
49 COMPATIBLE
51
19 21 NUMBERS
20 22
18
Estimate by Estimate by
ROUNDING ROUNDING

sum (+) or product ( )

difference (-)

Compatible numbers are two or more numbers that you

Estimate by can calculate mentally (without a calculator). These are
often useful when estimating quotients (÷).
CLUSTERING
48 52 3498 ÷ 58 205 ÷ 72
51
49 3600 ÷ 60 (think 36 ÷ 6) 210 ÷ 70 (think 21 ÷ 7)
19 21 60 3
20 22
18