Rounding — 4th Grade Lesson
Students will round numbers to the nearest ten, hundred, and thousand, and use rounding to estimate sums.
4th Grade · Rounding · ~25 min lesson
What is rounding?
Rounding makes a number easier to work with by changing it to a nearby “nicer” number. 47 rounds to 50 — close enough for estimating, much easier to compute.
The 5-or-more rule
Look at the digit right after the place you’re rounding to:
- 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 → round down (keep the same)
- 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 → round up (add 1)
Then replace every digit to the right with 0.
Round to the nearest ten
47 → look at the 7 (ones) → 5 or more → round up → 50 32 → look at the 2 → round down → 30 75 → look at the 5 → round up → 80
Round to the nearest hundred
350 → look at the 5 (tens) → round up → 400 320 → look at the 2 → round down → 300
Round to the nearest thousand
1,240 → look at the 2 (hundreds) → round down → 1,000 1,680 → look at the 6 → round up → 2,000
Estimating with rounding
Rounding makes sums and differences easy to estimate — check that an answer is reasonable.
48 + 53 → 50 + 50 = about 100 (the real answer, 101, is close).
How to practice at home
- Round the price: “This costs $3.80 — about how much is that?” ($4)
- Round scores and distances you see every day.
- Estimate grocery totals before the cashier.
- Quiz the rule: “Round 67 to the nearest ten — up or down?”
Practice with the exercises above, then download these free printable worksheets:
Practice Exercises
Try these on your own, then reveal the answer to check.
Round 47 to the nearest ten.
💡 47 is closer to 50 than 40.
Round 32 to the nearest ten.
💡 32 is closer to 30 than 40.
Round 350 to the nearest hundred.
💡 350 is exactly halfway — round up.
Round 1,240 to the nearest thousand.
💡 240 is less than 500, so round down.
Round 75 to the nearest ten.
💡 5 in the ones place means round up.
Estimate: about what is 48 + 53 if you round each to the nearest ten?
💡 48 → 50, 53 → 50, then 50 + 50 = 100.
Printable Worksheets
Put this lesson into practice with free, printable worksheets — each with an answer key.
Before You Start
- Place value to thousands
- Comparing numbers
Common Mistakes to Watch For
- Rounding 45 to the nearest ten as 40 (it should be 50)
- Changing digits to the right of the rounding place to random numbers instead of zeros
What to Learn Next
Browse more Rounding worksheets or explore all 4th Grade worksheets.
Related Worksheets
Rounding to the Nearest 10 and 100 Worksheet
Round numbers to the nearest ten and hundred using the digit to the right and the halfway rule.
Rounding Large Numbers Worksheet
Round large numbers to the nearest thousand and ten thousand using the 'look right' rule.
Estimating Sums and Differences by Rounding Worksheet
Round each number first, then add or subtract to estimate — a fast way to check if an answer is reasonable.
Rounding Decimals Worksheet
Round decimals to the nearest whole number and the nearest tenth using the 'look right' rule.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to round to the nearest ten?
Find the multiple of 10 the number is closest to. 47 is between 40 and 50 but closer to 50, so it rounds to 50. If the ones digit is 5 or more, round up.
How do I round to the nearest hundred or thousand?
Look at the digit right after the rounding place. Round down if it's 0-4, up if it's 5-9, then replace all digits to the right with zeros (347 → 300, 356 → 400).
Original & reviewed. Every worksheet is created in-house from a grade-level skill brief, checked for a correct answer key, and reviewed for grade-appropriateness. Our editorial policy.