Maths Library

Rounding and Estimating: Grade 5 math

This topic covers rounding whole numbers to powers of ten (10, 100, 1,000, etc.) and using rounded values to estimate calculations. Pupils practise identifying adjacent multiples and applying convention rules for the halfway boundary.

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What this covers

Rounding and Estimating is taught in Grade 5 (age 10 to 11) as a main teaching focus. It sits in the Number strand.

Worked example

Round 468 to the nearest 10.

  1. Identify the two surrounding multiples of 10: 460 and 470.
  2. Look at the ones digit: it is 8.
  3. Since 8 is 5 or greater, round up to 470.

Answer: 470

Difficulty scale

The sheet generator offers five difficulty settings for this topic.

  1. Rounding 2-digit numbers to the nearest 10 using a marked number line
  2. Rounding 3-digit numbers to the nearest 10 or 100
  3. Rounding 4-digit numbers to the nearest 10, 100, or 1,000
  4. Rounding large whole numbers to any given power of ten up to 100,000
  5. Estimating the answers to multi-step calculations by prior rounding

Common mistakes

  • Always rounding down when the target digit is followed by 5 instead of rounding up
  • Changing subsequent digits to non-zero values after rounding

Curriculum links

Indicative matches to Common Core State Standards. Check wording and codes against the official document.

  • 5.NBT.A.4 Round decimals to any place value up to thousandths.

Sample sheet and answers

Six questions at the level's usual difficulty. Open the editor to change, add or regenerate any of them.

Rounding and Estimating

Grade 5 math

Qs
6
Marks
12
NameDateScore / 12
1.
Round 554 443 to the nearest ten thousand.
[2]
2.
Round 821 863 to the nearest ten thousand.
[2]
3.
Round 744 116 to the nearest ten thousand.
[2]
4.
Round 891 222 to the nearest ten thousand.
[2]
5.
Round 904 496 to the nearest ten thousand.
[2]
6.
Round 769 338 to the nearest ten thousand.
[2]

Answer key

  1. 550 000Look at the digit to the right of the ten thousands place; 554 443 rounds to 550 000
  2. 820 000Look at the digit to the right of the ten thousands place; 821 863 rounds to 820 000
  3. 740 000Look at the digit to the right of the ten thousands place; 744 116 rounds to 740 000
  4. 890 000Look at the digit to the right of the ten thousands place; 891 222 rounds to 890 000
  5. 900 000Look at the digit to the right of the ten thousands place; 904 496 rounds to 900 000
  6. 770 000Look at the digit to the right of the ten thousands place; 769 338 rounds to 770 000