2.

17 Estimating to Solve Measurement Problems

CCSS: 3.NBT.A.2- Number Operations and Base 10: Fluently add and subtract within 1000 using
strategies and algorithms based on place value, properties of operations, and/or the relationship between
addition and subtraction.
Vocabulary: precise, estimate, reasonable
Materials: Pieces of paper with letters A,B,C in a bag; problem set, exit ticket
Objective: Students will be able to estimate sums by rounding and apply to solve measurement word
problems.
Explore the Concept:
Beginning: Problem 1: Estimate the sum of 362 + 159 by rounding.

1. Write this problem in your journals. When you write it draw an arrow next to each addend.
362
+159
2. What is 362 rounded to the nearest hundred? (400)
3. Write it beside the arrow next to the number 362.
4. What is 159 rounded to the nearest hundred? (200)
5. Write is beside the arrow next to the number 159.
6. What is 400 + 200? (600)
7. Now lets write this problem again in your journals, be sure to include the arrows. This time we are
going to round to the nearest ten.
362
+159
8. What is 362 rounded to the nearest ten? (360)
9. Write it beside the arrow next to the number 362.
10. What is 159 rounded to the nearest ten? (160)
11. Write is beside the arrow next to the number 159.
12. What is 360 + 160? (520)
13. When we round numbers and add the rounded numbers, we are estimating our sum.
14. We have two different estimated sums. Before we find the actual sum, talk to your partner about
which estimate you think will be the closest. Call on two students to share their responses.
15. Lets calculate the actual sum.
362
+159
521-
16. We see that rounding to the nearest tens was more precise than rounding to the nearest hundred.
Precise means more accurate or closer to the actual sum.
17. How did you predict which way of estimating would be closer? (We looked at the rounded numbers
and thought about how close they were to the actual numbers.)
18. When we estimate, we need to check to see if our answer is reasonable or makes sense. We can do this
by looking at the addends and deciding which way we should round to give us the most precise
answer.

Middle: Problem 2: Analyze the rounded sums of three expressions with addends close to the halfway
point. A) 349 + 145 B) 352+145 C) 352 + 151

1. Have students select a piece of paper with A, B, or C on it to determine which problem they will
 solve.
2. Students solve problem independently.
3. Have a representative for each problem share their answer and write it on the transparency.
4. What do you notice about the sums 494, 497 and 503? (They are really close to each other. They are
all between 490 and 510. The difference between the greatest and the smallest is 9.)
5. Look at the parts we added. What do you notice? (Two of them are exactly the same. They are all
close to 350.)
6. Lets round each number to the nearest hundred as we did earlier.

A. 349 300 B. 352 400 C. 352 400

+145 +100 +145 +100 +151 +200
400 500 600
7. Talk to your partner about what you notice. (The answers are really different. The sums were only 9
apart but the estimates are 200 apart.)
8. What do you think happened? (Its because of how we rounded. Now, I see it. All the numbers we
added are really close to the halfway point. In A and C when the numbers rounded the same way, both
up or both down, the sums were further apart from the actual answer. B was the closest to the real
answer because one went up and one went down.) Point this out to students if they do not see it on
their own.
9. A very small difference in the numbers can make a difference in the way we round and also make a
big difference in the result. How might you get a better estimate when you see the addends are close
to half way between your rounding units? (Its like the first problems. We could round to the nearest
10.)
10. That would give us a more precise estimate in cases like these where the numbers are so close to the
halfway point. Think about why 352 + 145 had the estimate closest to the actual answer. Share with
your partner. (Its because one number rounded up and one rounded down. In B they both balanced
each other out.)
11. Why do we want our estimated sum to be about right? (We want to see if our answer makes sense.)
12. Would all three answers help you to see if your answer is reasonable, if it makes sense? (No, only B.
If we used A or C, our exact answer could be way off and we wouldnt know it.)
13. So, we need a close estimate to see if our answer is reasonable.

End: Problem 3: Round the sum 296 + 609. Analyze how rounding to the nearest hundred is nearly the
same as rounding to the nearest ten when both addends are close to a hundred.

1. Write this problem in your journals with arrows.

296
+609
2. Think about how to round to get an answer that is closest to the actual sum. Talk about it with a
partner and find the sum.

3. Choose two students to share, one who rounded to nearest ten and another who rounded to the nearest
hundred.
4. Write the problems on the transparency as they share.
300 300
+600 +610
900 910
5. What do we notice about these sums? (They are close to each other.)
 6. Lets find the actual sum of the problem.
296
+609
905
7. What is the difference between the actual sum and the estimated sum we found by rounding to the
nearest hundred? (5)
8. What is the difference between the actual sum and the estimated sum we found by rounding to the
nearest ten? (5)
9. Which one was more precise? (They were both equally precise because the difference between both
estimates and the actual sum is 5.)
10. What does this tell us about the best way to estimate when both addends are close to a hundred?
(Rounding to the nearest hundred or nearest ten will work to find a reasonable sum.)

Independent Practice-Problem Set 2.17

11. Will read together and do Problem 1 as a group.

Closing: Review the answers to the problem set.

1. What were some of your observations about problem 1a? What did the closest estimates have in
common?
2. How does estimating help you check if your answer is reasonable?
Assessment: Exit Ticket 2.17
 Name: _____________________________________ Date: ______________________

Problem Set 2.17- page 1

1.a. Round each addend to the nearest hundred to find the estimated sums. Then solve the
original equation.

A B C
Actual Estimated Actual Estimated Actual
Estimated
451 ______ 356 ______
+253 +______ +161 +______ 652 ______
+158 +______

451 ______ 356 ______

+249 +______ +148 +______ 647 ______
+158 +______

448 ______ 347 ______

+253 +______ +149 +______ 647 ______
+146 +______

Circle the estimated sum Circle the estimated sum

that is closest to the real that is closest to the real Circle the estimated sum
sum. sum. that is closest to the real
sum.

b. Look at the sums that gave the most precise estimates. Explain below what
they have in common. You might use a number line to support your explanation.
 Problem Set 2.17- page 2
2. Janet watched a movie that is 94 minutes long on Friday night. She watched a
movie that is 151 minutes long on Saturday night.
a. Round the minutes to the nearest hundred. Then, estimate the total minutes
Janet watched movies on Friday and Saturday.

b. How much time does Janet actually spend watching movies?

c. Round to the nearest ten. Explain whether or not your estimated sum is close
to the actual sum Show your work.

3. Sadie, a bear at the zoo, weighs 182. Kilograms. Her cub weighs 74 kilograms.
a. Estimate the total weight of Sadie and her cub using whatever method you
think is best.

b. What is the actual weight of Sadie and her cub?

 Problem Set 2.17- page 2
2. Janet watched a movie that is 94 minutes long on Friday night. She watched a
movie that is 151 minutes long on Saturday night.
a. Round the minutes to the nearest hundred. Then, estimate the total minutes
Janet watched movies on Friday and Saturday.
94 ____________

151 ___________
b. How much time does Janet actually spend watching movies?

94
+151

c. Round to the nearest ten. Explain whether or not your estimated sum is close
to the actual sum. Show your work.
94 ____________

151 ___________
Circle the correct choice to complete the sentence. Yes/no my estimated sum is/is not close to
the actual sum.

3. Sadie, a bear at the zoo, weighs 182. Kilograms. Her cub weighs 74 kilograms.
a. Estimate the total weight of Sadie and her cub using whatever method you
think is best.

b. What is the actual weight of Sadie and her cub?

 Exit Ticket 2.17
Jesse practices the trumpet for a total of 165 minutes during the first week of
school. He practices for 245 minutes during the second week.
a. Estimate the total time Jesse practices by rounding to the nearest 10
minutes.

b. Estimate the total amount of time Jesse practices by rounding to the

nearest 100 minutes.

c. Find the actual total. Which estimate is the closest (rounding to the
nearest 10 or 100)?
 Problem Set 2.17- page 1 Answer Key
1. a. Round each addend to the nearest hundred to find the estimated sums. Then
solve the original equation.
A B C
Actual Estimated Actual Estimated Actual
Estimated
451 _500___ 356 __400_
+253 +_300___ +161 +__200_ 652 __700_
704 800 517 600 +158 +__200_
810 900

451 _500___ 356 __400_

+249 +_200__ +148 +__100_ 647 __600_
700 700 504 500 +158 +__200_
805 800

448 __400__ 347 _ 300_

+253 +__300__ +149 +_ 100_ 647 __400_
701 700 496 400 +146 +__300_
793 700

Circle the estimated sum Circle the estimated sum

that is closest to the real that is closest to the real Circle the estimated sum
sum. sum. that is closest to the real
sum.

b. Look at the sums that gave the most precise estimates. Explain below what they
have in common. You might use a number line to support your explanation.
One addend is above the half way point and the other is below so we rounded
one up and one down.
 Problem Set 2.17- page 2
2. Janet watched a movie that is 94 minutes long on Friday night. She watched a
movie that is 151 minutes long on Saturday night.
a. Round the minutes to the nearest hundred. Then, estimate the total minutes
Janet watched movies on Friday and Saturday.
94 __100__________ 100
+ 200
151 __200_______ 300 minutes
b. How much time does Janet actually spend watching movies?

94
+151
245
c. Round to the nearest ten. Explain whether or not your estimated sum is close
to the actual sum. Show your work.
94 ___90_________ 90
151 __150_________ +150
240
Circle the correct choice to complete the sentence. Yes/no my estimated sum
is/is not close to the actual sum.

3. Sadie, a bear at the zoo, weighs 182 kilograms. Her cub weighs 74 kilograms.
a. Estimate the total weight of Sadie and her cub using whatever method you
think is best.
182 180 180
74 70 + 70
250 kilograms
b. What is the actual weight of Sadie and her cub?
 183
+74
257 kilograms