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Rounding Decimals

To round a decimal to a given place value, simply follow these steps:

  1. Identify the digit at the given place value. This will usually be to the right of the decimal point.
  2. Identify the digit next to it.
  3. Round the new number (the one composed of the digits from Step One and Step Two) to the nearest ten.
  4. Remove all digits after the given place value!
Rounding Decimals: Round 5.1731 to the nearest hundredth. Step One: identify the given place value (the 7 is highlighted in 5.1731). Step Two: identify the number next to the given place value (the 73 is highlighted in 5.1731). Step Three: round this number to the nearest ten (when we round 73 to the nearest ten, we get 70, so our new decimal reads 5.1701). Step Four: remove all digits after the given place value (our given place value is the hundredths place, or the 7. if we remove all the digits after the 7, we get 5.17, our answer)

Image by Caroline Kulczycky

Let's do another example!

Round 6,121.878566{,}121.87856 to the nearest thousandth.

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Video · + 2 min read

(Video) Rounding

by Math Antics

Here's a video by mathantics that shows you how to round numbers and their decimals.

Summary\large{\text{Summary}}

Rounding a number is a way to make a number less accurate by turning it into an estimate.

Why would you want a number to be less accurate you might ask. For starters, rounded numbers are easy to do calculations with. It's a lot easier to add, 300+500,300+500, than to add, 312+498312+498 Other times you just don't need precision. If you went to a concert, you don't need to say there were 399,342399{,}342 people in the stadium. You would just say there were about 400,000400{,}000.

To round decimals, you first need to make sure you know their place values. You'll mostly be asked to round a number to a specific place value.

To do this, look at the number to the right of the place value.

  • If it is a 55 or higher, raise the number at the place value by one.
  • If it is a 44 or lower, leave the number at the place value alone.

Once you do this, turn all the digits to the right of the place value to 00.

Example

Suppose we want to raise 42.4927542.49275 to the nearest thousandth. We want to first find the place value given. In this case, thousandths. 42.4927542.49{\color{#29A603}{2}}75 Next we look at the digit to the right of it. 42.4927542.49{\color{#29A603}{2}}{\color{#8925AE}{7}}5 Here, it's 77. Since this is greater than 55, we raise the place value number by one. 42.4937542.49{\color{#29A603}{3}}75 Finally, make all of the digits to the right of the place value 00. 42.4930042.49{\color{#29A603}{3}}{\color{#8925AE}{00}}

Example with 99

Now suppose we want to raise 42.0999842.09998 to the nearest ten-thousandth. Locating the place value we have a 99. 42.0999842.099{\color{#29A603}{9}}8 The number to it's right, 88, is larger than 55 so we raise our place value by one. But this turns our 99 into a 1010. What do we do? Turn the 99 into a 00 and raise the next digit to the left by one. This'll turn any 99's in a row to 00's finally raising our tenths place by one. 42.1000842.{\color{#29A603}{1}}00{\color{#29A603}{0}}8 Finally, we turn any digit to the right of our place value to 00. 42.1000042.100{\color{#29A603}{0}}{\color{#8925AE}{0}} We can omit any excess zeros. 42.142.1

In the special case where we want to round to the nearest whole number, there will be nothing after the decimal point once we're done.

Test Yourself: Round 204.30534204.30534 to the nearest hundredth.

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Video

(Video) Rounding Decimals

by Mathademics!

This video by Mathademics! explains how to round decimals.

Summary\large{\text{Summary}}

Rounding decimals works the same as rounding whole numbers.

To round a decimal to a given place value, look at the digit in the place to the right.

  • If the digit is less than 55, you round down.
  • If the digit is greater than or equal to 55, you round up.

For example, let's round 1.411.41 to the nearest tenths. Let's select the tenths digit, 44, with blue. 1.411.{\color{#29A603}{4}}1

Next, select the digit to the right of it. 1.411.{\color{#29A603}{4}}{\color{#8925AE}{1}}

Since 11 is less than 55, we're going to round down. We leave 44 as is and make all the digits to the right of it 00. 1.401.{\color{#29A603}{4}}0

Try it Yourself!

Round 9.3769.376 to the nearest hundredth.

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Type a concept, like “slope” or “photosynthesis”.

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