Rounding Decimals

27.17469 rounded to the nearest whole number is 27

36.74691 rounded to the nearest whole number is 37
12.34690 rounded to the nearest tenth is 12.3
89.46917 rounded to the nearest tenth is 89.5
50.02139 rounded to the nearest hundredth is 50.02
72.63539 rounded to the nearest hundredth is 72.64
46.83531 rounded to the nearest thousandth is 46.835
9.63967 rounded to the nearest thousandth is 9.640

Rules for rounding decimals.

1. Retain the correct number of decimal places (e.g. 3 for thousandths, 0 for
whole numbers)
2. If the next decimal place value is 5 or more, increase the value in the last
retained decimal place by 1.

3.1416 rounded to hundredths is 3.14 ... the next digit (1) is less than 5
1.2635 rounded to tenths is 1.3 ... the next digit (6) is 5 or more
1.2635 rounded to 3 decimal places is 1.264 ... the next digit (5) is 5 or more

Rounding Whole Numbers

You may want to round to tens, hundreds, etc, In this case you replace the removed digits
with zero.

Examples Because ...

134.9 rounded to tens is 130 ... the next digit (4) is less than 5
12,690 rounded to thousands is 13,000 ... the next digit (6) is 5 or more
1.239 rounded to units is 1 ... the next digit (2) is less than 5

Rounding to Significant Digits

To round "so many" significant digits, just count that many from left to right, and then
round off from there. (Note: if there are leading zeros (such as 0.006), don't count them
because they are only there to show how small the number is).

Examples Because ...

1.239 rounded to 3 significant digits is 1.24 ... the next digit (9) is 5 or more
134.9 rounded to 1 significant digit is 100 ... the next digit (3) is less than 5
0.0165 rounded to 2 significant digits is 0.017 ... the next digit (5) is 5 or more

Examples: Rounding Down Examples: Rounding Up

Given the number 21.836 round to the
Given the number 36.75 round to the
nearest tenths.
nearest unit.
The tenths digit is the first digit after
The units digit is the first digit before
the decimal point. To round at the
the decimal point. to round at the units
tenths digit we examine the hundredths
digit we examine the tenths digit. Since
digit. Since it is a 3, then we down.
it is 7, the we round up. Therefore,
Therefore, 21.836 rounded to the
36.75 rounded to the nearest unit is 37.
nearest tenths is 21.8.
Given the number 7.8934 round to the
Given the number 71.985 round to the
nearest thousandths.
nearest hundredths.
The thousandths digit is the third digit
The hundredths digit is the second digit
after the decimal point. To round at the
after the decimal point. To round at the
thousandths digit we examine the
hundredths digit we examine the
fourth digit to the right. Since it is a 4,
thousandths digit. Since it is 5, the we
then we round down. Therefore,
round up. Therefore, 71.985 rounded to
7.8934 rounded to the nearest
the nearest hundredths is 71.99.
thousandths is 7.893.
Given the number 67.8995 round to the
nearest thousandths.
Given the number 3.2345 round to the
nearest hundredths. The thousandths digit is the third digit
after the decimal point. To round at the
The hundredths digit is the second digit
thousandths digit we examine the fourth
after the decimal point. To round at the
digit to the right. Since it is a 5, then we
hundredths digit we examine the
round up. However, how do you round
thousandths digit. Since it is 4, the we
up a 9? You change it to 0 and round
round down. Therefore, 3.2345
up the hundredths digit. It is also a 9, so
rounded to the nearest hundredths is
it becomes a 0, and we round up the
3.23.
tenths digit. Therefore, 67.8995 rounds
up to 67.90.