Rounding
 

To round to the nearest place value:

Figure out the place value to be rounded to...

Surround the original number by counting in increments of the place value specified.

Decide what number in your counted list is closest to the  original number.

 

Hopefully, this page will help you get the feel for rounding numbers.

One way to get the feel for rounding is to think about seeing the similarity to finding the closest corner to your house.   Rounding is like finding the nearest "corner."

To round a number you could:

  1. Mentally, visualize a house with the number on it.

  2. Recognize the place values we are rounding to. 

  3. Mentally, visualize the house surrounded by other numbered houses.   

  4. Visualize the corners of the block being occupied by numbers that are multiples of the place value you are rounding to.

  5. Look to see which corner is closest to the original number. 

  6. If your right in the center of the "block" go to the corner with the highest number.

 

Example:  Round 3457 to the nearest 10s.

(1)    Recognize the place value to round to ..... 10s.
(2).    Mentally, visualize the house with the number on it.

                                                                                    3457
(3)   Mentally, visualize the house surrounded by other numbered houses & 
(4) Visualize the corners of the block being occupied by numbers that at multiples of the place value you are rounding to...

        

          3450  3451  3452  3453  3454 3455  3456 3457 3458 3459  3460

 

   (How did we choose the number for the block???   )
(5) Look to see which corner is closest to the original number ...

        

          3450  3451  3452  3453  3454 3455  3456 3457 3458 3459<3460>

Example:  Round 3451 to the nearest 100s.

(1)    Recognize the place value to round to ..... 100s.
(2).    Mentally, visualize the house with the number on it.

                                                                                    3450
(3)   Mentally, visualize the house surrounded by other numbered houses & 
(4) Visualize the corners of the block being occupied by numbers that at multiples of the place value you are rounding to...

        

          3400  3410  3420  3430  3440 3450  3460 3470 3480 3490  3500

 

(How did we choose the numbers on the block???    )
(5) Look to see which corner is closest to the original number ...

      

        3400  3410  3420  3430  3440 3450  3460 3470 3480 3490<3500>

 

Example:  Round 1854 to the nearest 10s.

(1)    Recognize the place value to round to ..... 10s.
(2).    Mentally, visualize the house with the number on it.

                                                                                    1854
(3)   Mentally, visualize the house surrounded by other numbered houses & 
(4) Visualize the corners of the block being occupied by numbers that are multiples of the place value you are rounding to...

        

          1850   1852  1853 1854  1855 1856  1856 1857 1858 1859  1860

 

(How did we choose the numbers on the block??? )
(5) Look to see which corner is closest to the original number ...

      

       <1850>  1851  1852  1853  1854 1855  1856 1857 1858 1859 1860

 

Check Your Understanding

Do you understand place values?   Check by answering the following questions:

  1. Specify the number that is in the 10s position in the number 3456.          

  1. Specify the digit that is in the 10000s position of the number 495672.   

  1. Specify the number that is in the 100s position of  the number 1763.       

  1. Specify the number that is in the 1000s position of the number 302875. 

Check Your Understanding

Check your ability to count.    Count by the intervals requested, then check your answer ...

  1. Count by 1000s.                           

  1. Count by 10s.                               

  1. Count by 10000s.                         

  1. Count by 100s.                             

  1. Count by 100000s.                       

Check Your Understanding

Check your ability to determine what "CLOSEST" means.

There is a convenience stores at the addresses 13250 and 13260.    You are at the house 13251.    You are closest to which convenience store?  
.          13250              13251     13252   13253   13254    13255     13256    13257    13258    13259            13260

 

There is a convenience stores at the addresses 12340 and 12350.    You are at the address 12346.    You are closest to which convenience store? 
               12340   12341     12342     12343    12344    12345    12346    12347    12348    12349   12350

 

There are three train stations.    Depending on where you are, there is a "closest" station.   You are at the house located at 47.    You are closest to which train station?   
                  30    31    32    33    34     35    36    37    38     39    40    41   42     43    44    45    46    47     48    49   50         

 

There are three train stations.    Depending on where you are, there is a "closest" station.   You are at the house located at 324.    You are closest to which train station?  

                  320 321  322 323  324 325  326 327 328  329  330  331  332   333  334  335  336  337  338  339  340

 

 

You are in a movie theater.    There are isles on each end of the row of seats.   You are in seat 5.   Which isle are you closest to?  
     

 

           0                 1                2                3                4               5                6                7                8                 9         10

 

In a park, there are some sign posts at equal distances apart.    At sign posts 700 and 710 there are restrooms.    You are at sign post 704.   What location has the closest restrooms to your location.
            700            701          702            703           704           705            706           707          708          709        710

 

There are bus stops at block 1000 and block 2000.   You are on block 1700.   Which bus stop are you closest to?  
 

 

 

       1000       1100        1200           1300           1400          1500          1600           1700        1800          1900        2000

 

You are in the theater.    The isle seats are C740 and C750.    You are seated in C742.    Which isle seat is closest to you?  
 

 

 

                 C740       c741          c742      c743        c744     c745     c746        c747      c748        c749       C750