There are 739 seats in a theater . Round the nearest hundred
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
700
Rounding the number of theater seats, 739, to the nearest hundred results in 700.
Rounding is a mathematical method used to simplify a number while keeping its value close to what it was. It is particularly useful for making quick estimations or for situations where an exact number is not necessary. To round a number to the nearest hundred, we follow a specific set of rules focused on the place values within the number.
First, we must identify the digit in the hundreds place. In the number 739, the digit 7 is in the hundreds place. This tells us that the number 739 is between the two consecutive hundreds of 700 and 800. Our task is to determine which of these two hundreds it is closer to.
The decision to round up or down is made by looking at the digit immediately to the right of the hundreds place, which is the tens digit. In 739, the tens digit is 3. The universal rule of rounding states that if this deciding digit is 5 or greater (5, 6, 7, 8, or 9), we round up to the next higher hundred. If the deciding digit is 4 or less (4, 3, 2, 1, or 0), we round down.
Since the tens digit in 739 is 3, it falls into the “4 or less” category. This means we must round down. When we round down, the digit in the hundreds place remains the same, and all the digits to its right become zeros. Therefore, the 7 in the hundreds place stays a 7, while the 3 and the 9 become zeros. This process changes 739 to 700.
Conceptually, you can think of it on a number line. The halfway point between 700 and 800 is 750. Since 739 is less than 750, it is closer to 700. Thus, for a quick estimate, one would say there are about 700 seats in the theater.
