Rounding Worksheets

One rule, sixteen times a page

Rounding comes down to a single decision, and these sheets ask for it over and over. Each line gives a number, an arrow, and the place to round to. The child checks the digit immediately to the right of that place: 5 or more goes up, less than 5 goes down. That rule is printed as a hint at the foot of every page. Sixteen items, two columns of eight, with space under each line for the answer and a name and date line at the top.

Tens first, then hundreds, then thousands

Print the group you need rather than all twelve at once. The first three sheets round two and three digit numbers to the nearest ten. The next three move up to four digit numbers and the nearest hundred. Sheets seven to nine use five digit numbers and the nearest thousand, which is where the deciding digit sits two places in from the right hand end and children start losing track of it. The last three repeat the same sequence: tens, then hundreds, then thousands. They carry the heading "Mixed rounding", but no sheet in that group mixes anything. As practice they work perfectly well. Use them as a second lap, a week or two after the first nine.

What trips children up

Three things, mostly. The first is a number that is already round: 60 on the opening sheet, 960 and 870 on the second, 190 in the last group. Children want to change it and write 70 or 900. Next comes the carry. 599 to the nearest ten is 600, 696 becomes 700, and 977 to the nearest hundred is 1000, so the answer gains a digit or shifts the digit to the left, which feels wrong to them. Last is the short number sitting among long ones. Sheet six asks for 147 to the nearest hundred, which is 100. Sheet nine asks for 1249 to the nearest thousand, which is 1000. Both answers look too small to be right. Mark those items first.