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Rounding Decimals

  • Grade 5
  • Mathematics
  • 5.NBT.A.4
  • Number & Operations in Base Ten
  • Free lesson

Aligned to 5.NBT.A.4 — Common Core State Standards for Mathematics.

What this lesson teaches

To round a decimal, look at the digit just to the right of the place you want. If it is 5 or more, round up; if it is 4 or less, keep the digit the same. Then drop the digits after your rounding place.

Worked examples

Example 1

Round 3.147 to the nearest hundredth. The hundredths digit is 4, and the digit right after it (the thousandths) is 7. Since 7 is 5 or more, round the 4 up to 5. So 3.147 rounds to 3.15.

Example 2

Round 12.96 to the nearest tenth. The tenths digit is 9 and the hundredths is 6, so round up — the 9 rolls over and 12.96 becomes 13.0.

Example 3

Round 0.0349 to the nearest hundredth. The hundredths digit is 3 and the thousandths is 4, so round down: 0.03.

Practice questions

  1. Round 5.62 to the nearest tenth.
  2. Round 0.238 to the nearest hundredth.
  3. Round 12.495 to the nearest hundredth, and explain the digit you checked.

Watch the lesson

Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.

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En español

Redondear decimales

Para redondear un decimal, mira el dígito que está justo a la derecha del lugar que quieres. Si es 5 o más, redondea hacia arriba; si es 4 o menos, deja el dígito igual. Luego quita los dígitos que siguen después de tu lugar de redondeo.

Ejemplo 1: Redondea 3.147 a la centésima más cercana. El dígito de las centésimas es 4, y el dígito que le sigue (las milésimas) es 7. Como 7 es 5 o más, redondea el 4 hacia arriba a 5. Así, 3.147 se redondea a 3.15.

Ejemplo 2: Redondea 12.96 al décimo más cercano. El dígito de los décimos es 9 y el de los centésimos es 6, así que sube — el 9 se pasa y 12.96 se vuelve 13.0.

Ejemplo 3: Redondea 0.0349 al centésimo más cercano. El dígito de los centésimos es 3 y el de los milésimos es 4, así que baja: 0.03.

More Number & Operations in Base Ten lessons

Multiplying Decimals5.NBT.B.7How Place Value Works5.NBT.A.1Multiplying by Powers of 105.NBT.A.2Reading and Comparing Decimals5.NBT.A.3Multiplying Big Numbers5.NBT.B.5Dividing by Two-Digit Numbers5.NBT.B.6

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