GCSE MATHS • HIGHER TIER

Rounding Made Simple

Master place value, decimal places, significant figures, bounds and estimation for GCSE Maths.

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Exam practice

Worked proofs

Rounding in Four Moves

1

Identify

Identify the place value you need to round to.

2

Look Right

Check the digit immediately to the right.

3

Decide

0–4 rounds down; 5–9 rounds up.

4

Write

Write the rounded value clearly and check its place value.

What You’ll Learn

Understand Rounding

Know why numbers are replaced with nearby simpler values.

Round Whole Numbers

Round to the nearest 10, 100 and 1000.

Round Decimals

Round accurately to decimal places.

Use Significant Figures

Identify significant digits and round correctly.

Connect to Bounds and Estimation

Understand accuracy and use rounded values to estimate calculations.

Key Rules

Look at the digit immediately to the right of the place value you are rounding to

0–4 → round down
5–9 → round up

Worked Proof: Rounding

Step-by-Step Method

  • 1. Identify the place value you need to round to.
  • 2. Look at the digit immediately to its right.
  • 3. Round down if the digit is 0–4.
  • 4. Round up if the digit is 5–9.
  • 5. Write the rounded number and check the place value.

More Worked Examples

1

Round 73 to the nearest 10

The units digit is 3

3 is less than 5
Answer = 70

2

Round 684 to the nearest 100

The tens digit is 8

8 is greater than 5
Answer = 700

3

Round 7,620 to the nearest 1000

The hundreds digit is 6

Answer = 8,000

4

Round 3.47 to 1 decimal place.

Look at the second decimal digit (7)

Answer = 3.5
  • Common GCSE Mistakes
  • Digit: Look at the digit immediately to the right of the rounding position.
  • Place value: Keep track of the correct place value.
  • Terminology: Do not confuse decimal places with significant figures.
  • Bounds: Calculate upper and lower bounds from the correct rounding interval.
  • Exam Tips
  • Underline or identify the place value you are rounding to.
  • Use the 0–4 down and 5–9 up rule consistently.
  • For decimal places, count digits after the decimal point.
  • For significant figures, start counting from the first non-zero digit.
  • Check that zeros in the rounded answer preserve the correct place value.
  • Use rounding to estimate and check whether calculations are sensible.

Skills Used in Rounding

Place Value

Nearest 10, 100 and 1000

Decimal Places

Significant Figures

Upper and Lower Bounds

Estimation

Accuracy

Number Skills

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Printable Worksheet

Download and print practice questions with answers.

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Interactive Quiz

Test your knowledge with instant feedback and hints.

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Exam-Style Questions

Timed questions to build confidence for the real exam.

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Watch the Rounding Tutorial

Step-by-step walkthroughs of Rounding with clear methods and exam tips.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Rounding replaces a number with a simpler nearby value.

Look at the digit immediately to the right: 0–4 rounds down and 5–9 rounds up.

Decimal places count digits after the decimal point, while significant figures begin at the first significant digit.

The source identifies 7 as the first significant digit.

A rounded value represents an interval of possible original values.

Round values to convenient numbers, then use the simplified calculation to get an approximate answer.