A family walks toward a big colorful stadium with waving flags

Round Multi-Digit Numbers

Exactly 38,472 fans came to the big game. A reporter says, "About 38,000 fans!" How did she get that number so fast?

4th Grade Math

Step 1: Find the Place

To round, first determine which place you are rounding to. The reporter rounded 38,472 to the nearest thousand. Which digit sits in the thousands place?

In 38,472, the 8 is in the thousands place. The 3 is ten thousands, and the 4 is hundreds.

Step 2: Which Thousand Is Closer?

38,000

38,500

39,000

The number 38,472 lives between 38,000 and 39,000. It sits just before the halfway mark of 38,500. Which thousand is it closer to?

Look at the hundreds digit: it is 4. The rule says less than 5 rounds down. So 38,472 rounds to 38,000.

Let's Remember

The Rounding Rule

          Step 1: Find the place you are rounding to.

          Step 2: Look at the digit one place to the RIGHT.

          Step 3: 5 or more? Round UP. Less than 5? Round DOWN.

          Then every digit to the right becomes 0.

This pattern works for any place: tens, hundreds, thousands, or ten thousands.

Watch Out!

A Sneaky Mistake

          Round 4,962 to the nearest hundred.

          The tens digit is 6, so the 9 hundreds round up.

          But 9 + 1 = 10 hundreds! That spills over.

          The answer is 5,000, not 4,900!

Always analyze what happens when a 9 rounds up.

Solve It!

6,381 rounded to the nearest hundred = ?

The hundreds digit is 3. Look right: the tens digit is 8. Since 8 is 5 or more, round up to 6,400.

Word Problem

Maple City has 52,706 people. A news sign shows the population rounded to the nearest ten thousand. What number does the sign show?

The ten thousands digit is 5. Look right: the thousands digit is 2. Since 2 is less than 5, round down to 50,000.

Use the Number Line

2,000

2,500

3,000

The number 2,650 sits past the halfway mark of 2,500. Round 2,650 to the nearest thousand.

The hundreds digit is 6, which is 5 or more. So 2,650 rounds up to 3,000.

What Goes in the Blank?

13,529 rounded to the nearest thousand is ?

Careful! The hundreds digit is exactly 5.

The rule says 5 or more rounds UP. The 3 thousands become 4 thousands, so the answer is 14,000.

Round to the Nearest Ten

A pilot flies 5,634 miles in one week. Round that distance to the nearest ten.

The tens digit is 3. Look right: the ones digit is 4. Since 4 is less than 5, round down to 5,630.

Go Big!

A new video game sold 87,246 copies in its first month. You must distinguish which digit to check before rounding. Round 87,246 to the nearest ten thousand.

The ten thousands digit is 8. Look right: the thousands digit is 7. Since 7 is 5 or more, round up to 90,000.

Challenge Round!

Remember the sneaky mistake! Round 39,972 to the nearest hundred.

The hundreds digit is 9 and the tens digit is 7, so round up. 9 + 1 = 10 hundreds spills over: 39,900 + 100 = 40,000.

Think About It

Why might a reporter say "about 38,000 fans" instead of the exact number? When is an exact number better than a rounded one?

Great Work!

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correct

rule pattern determine analyze distinguish