Estimate Sums by Rounding


Related Topics:
Lesson Plans and Worksheets for Grade 3
Lesson Plans and Worksheets for all Grades
Common Core For Grade 3
More Lessons for Grade 3 Math




Share this page to Google Classroom

Examples, solutions, and videos to help Grade 3 students learn how to estimate sums by rounding and apply to solve measurement word problems.

Common Core Standards: 3.NBT.2, 3.NBT.1, 3.MD.1, 3.MD.2

New York State Common Core Math Grade 3, Module 2, Lesson 17

Download Worksheet for Common Core Grade 3, Module 2, Lesson 17

Round to nearest ten Worksheet Sprint A
Round to nearest ten Worksheet Sprint B

Application Problem

The doctor prescribed 175 milliliters of medicine on Monday and 256 milliliters of medicine on Tuesday.
a. Estimate how much medicine he prescribed in both days.
b. Precisely how much medicine did he use in both days?

The following shows a worksheet for students to practice estimating sums. Scroll down the page for more examples and solutions.
Estimate sums
 

Concept Development

Estimate the sum of 362 + 159 by rounding.

What is 362 rounded to the nearest hundred? 400.
What is 159 rounded to the nearest hundred? 200.
What is 400 + 200? 600
We estimated the sum by rounding to the nearest hundred and got 600.

Let’s now round to the nearest 10 and add.
360 + 160 = 520

We’ve learned to round to the nearest ten and hundred before.
Let’s think if there is another way we could round these numbers that would make them easy to add.
They are both really close to a fifty and those are easy for me to add.
What is 363 rounded to the nearest fifty? 350.
What is 159 rounded to the nearest fifty? 150
350 + 150 is 500.

The actual answer 362 + 159 = 521
Rounding to the nearest 10 is the most accurate.
Rounding to the nearest 50 makes it easier to calculate.




Homework

  1. Dena reads for 361 minutes during Week 1 of her school’s two-week long Read-A-Thon. She reads for 212 minutes during Week 2 of the Read-A-Thon.
    a. Estimate the total amount of time Dena reads during the Read-A-Thon by rounding.
    b. Estimate the total amount of time Dena reads during the Read-A-Thon by rounding in a different way.
    c. Calculate the actual number of minutes that Dena reads during the Read-A-Thon. Which method of rounding was more precise? Why?

Try the free Mathway calculator and problem solver below to practice various math topics. Try the given examples, or type in your own problem and check your answer with the step-by-step explanations.
Mathway Calculator Widget



We welcome your feedback, comments and questions about this site or page. Please submit your feedback or enquiries via our Feedback page.