Rounding & Approximation
1. ROUNDING & APPROXIMATION (Ch.16)
1.1 Rounding to the nearest 10, 100, 1000
Round to the nearest:
10 100 1000
2673
555
29610
9999
5496
[Link] 1
Rounding & Approximation
1.2 Rounding: Whole, Decimal Places
In certain cases, you have to round up or round down a decimal number to the nearest whole
number depending on the context. Example:
1. How many 50-seater buses are needed to transport 130 students?
2. How many yoghurts can be bought with €5, if each yoghurt costs €1.30
Round to the nearest:
Whole 1 d.p. 2 d.p.
35.268
11.7143
8.759g
[Link] 2
Rounding & Approximation
1.3 Rounding: Significant Figures
[Link] 3
Rounding & Approximation
Round to the nearest:
1 s.f. 2 s.f. 3 s.f.
35.268
1.0063
8.759g
0.002791
Revise: Round to the nearest:
Nearest Whole 1 decimal place 2 d.p.
35.9184
46.3241
4.682
53.8599
0.899
1. Write the following numbers correct to the number of significant figures in the bracket.
a) 3094 (2) b) 3094 (3) c) 6895 (2) d) 6895 (3)
e) 41329 (2) f) 41329 (4) g) 0.0123 (2) h) 0.01023 (2)
i) 1.005 (2) j) 1.005 (3) k) 219.219 (2) l) 219.219 (5)
[Link] 4
Rounding & Approximation
1.4: Rough Estimates/Approximation (bejn wiehed u iehor)
Tim gets paid €8.71 per hour. Estimate how much he will earn if he works 38 hours.
Exact calculation (using a calculator):
Estimation (round each digit to 1 significant figure first):
€8.71 becomes €_______ correct to 1 s.f.
And, 38 hours become _________ correct to 1 s.f.
So: €8.71 × 38 hours is roughly €_______ × ________ = €_________
So, Tim earns approximately €______
How to give an estimate of a
calculation:
Round ALL the numbers in the
calculation to one significant
figure.
Work out the calculation with the
rounded numbers.
The symbol used to represent a
rough estimate is a wavy equal sign
1. Underline the correct answer (do not use a calculator).
a) 9.65 ÷ 6.345 is equal to: (A) 15.2 (B) 54.2 (C) 0.15 (D) 1.52
b) 35 is equal to: (A) 5.92 (B) 50.92 (C) 2.2 (D) 6.1
[Link] 5
Rounding & Approximation
975 0.838
c) is equal to: (A) 1.9 (B) 200 (C) 0.15 (D) 19.5
41.9
2.88 3.72
d) is equal to: (A) 0.31 (B) 31 (C) 3100 (D) 3.1
0.578 37
2. For each of the following:
i) Work out a rough estimate.
ii) Use your calculator to give the answer correct to 3 significant figures.
Rough Estimate Answer to 3 s.f. (calculator)
a) 4.77 × 23.8
b) 45 × 1.8
c) 18 + 3.92
d) 7.65 ÷ 4.345
e) 0.32 × 0.127
f) 675 × 256
g) 432
k) 1922
[Link] 6