Rounding any number up to 1,000,000

In a nutshell

Rounding numbers makes them much easier to work with. It also allows you to estimate the answers to long, tricky calculations.

Rounding to the nearest 10, 100 and 1000

To round to the nearest $10$ , $100$ or $1000$ , you need to look at the digit in the place value column to the right of the column containing the one. To round to the nearest...

$10$ : look at the ones column.
$100$ : look at the tens column.
$1000$ : look at the hundreds column.

Round down if the value of the digit in this column is less than $5$ ; round up if the value is $5$ or above.

Rounding to the nearest 10 000

Definition

Rounding to the nearest ten thousand means to round a number up or down to the nearest multiple of $10\space 000$ .

PROCEDURE

Look at the digit in the thousands column.
If the value is $0,1,2,3$ or $4$ , round down to the nearest multiple of $10 \ 000$ . If the value is $5,6,7,8$ or $9$ , round up to the nearest multiple of $10\ 000$ .

Example 1

Round $64\space970$ to the nearest ten thousand.

Look at the thousands.

The digit in the thousands column is $4$ .

Round down to the nearest multiple of $10\space000$ :

$64\space970\rightarrow\underline{60\space000}$

Rounding to the nearest 100 000

Definition

Rounding to the nearest hundred thousand means to round a number up or down to the nearest multiple of $100\space 000$ .

PROCEDURE

Look at the digit in the ten thousands column.
If the value is $0,1,2,3$ or $4$ ; round down to the nearest multiple of $100 \ 000$ . If the value is $5,6,7,8$ or $9$ ; round up to the nearest multiple of $100\ 000$ .

Example 2

Round $883\space970$ to the nearest hundred thousand.

Look at the ten thousands.

The digit in the ten thousands column is $8$ .

Round up to the nearest multiple of $100\space 000$ :

$883\space970\rightarrow\underline{900\space000}$

Rounding to the nearest 1 000 000

Definition

Rounding to the nearest million means to round a number up or down to the nearest multiple of $1\space000\space 000$ .

PROCEDURE

Look at the digit in the hundred thousands column.
If the value is $0,1,2,3$ or $4$ ; round down to the nearest multiple of $1\ 000 \ 000$ . If the value is $5,6,7,8$ or $9$ ; round up to the nearest multiple of $1\ 000 \ 000$ .

Example 3

Round $283\space764$ to the nearest million.

Look at the hundred thousands.

The digit in the hundred thousands column is $2$ .

Round down to the nearest multiple of $1\space000\space 000$ :

$283\space764\rightarrow\underline0$

Note: You might need to round down to zero in some cases!