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Rounding: up to hundred thousands place

Rounding big numbers makes them easier to think about! 🧠 Whether it's the population of a city or the price of a car, rounding gives you a 'close enough' number that's simpler to use.

Do this: Read the concept below, then try the quiz or activity.

Lesson 10 of 202

Concept

Rounding to a specific place value, like the hundred thousands, follows the same simple rule no matter how big the number is.

The Golden Rule of Rounding: 1. Find your place: Identify the digit in the place you are rounding to. 2. Look next door: Look at the digit immediately to the right. 3. 5 or more, raise the score: If the digit next door is 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9, you round the target digit UP by one. 4. 4 or less, let it rest: If the digit next door is 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4, you leave the target digit as it is. 5. Zero out the rest: All digits to the right of your target place become zeros.

Visual Example: Round 782,451 to the nearest hundred thousand.

1.  Find your place: The digit in the hundred thousands place is 7.
    *   782,451
2.  Look next door: The digit to its right is 8.
    *   782,451
3.  5 or more? Yes, 8 is greater than 5. So, we raise the score of the 7, making it an 8.
4.  Zero out the rest: All the digits after the hundred thousands place become zeros.
    *   800,000

Another Example: Round 234,987 to the nearest hundred thousand.

1.  Find your place: The digit is 2.
2.  Look next door: The digit is 3.
3.  5 or more? No, 3 is less than 5. So, we let it rest. The 2 stays a 2.
4.  Zero out the rest: All digits after the 2 become zeros.
    *   200,000

Key Idea: The only two possibilities for rounding 782,451 to the nearest hundred thousand are 700,000 or 800,000. You are just figuring out which one it's closer to.

Try it

Practice rounding big numbers!

Round to the nearest ten thousand: 1. 48,234 2. 167,900 3. 94,555

Round to the nearest hundred thousand: 4. 271,450 5. 849,999 6. 550,000 7. 1,234,567

Word Problems: 8. A city's population is 678,123. What is its population rounded to the nearest hundred thousand? 9. A national park had 1,452,980 visitors last year. Round this to the nearest hundred thousand. 10. The price of a house is $389,500. What is the price rounded to the nearest ten thousand?