What is 248,739 rounded to the nearest hundred
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
To round 248,739 to the nearest hundred, we follow these steps:
- Identify the hundreds place: The number 248,739 is composed of six digits. We are rounding to the nearest hundred, so we focus on the last three digits. The hundreds place is the third digit from the right, which is 7 (in the number 248,739, this is the digit in the hundreds place).
- Look at the digit in the tens place: The tens place is the second digit from the right, which is 3 in 248,739.
- Apply the rounding rule: If the digit in the tens place is 5 or greater, we round up the digit in the hundreds place by 1. If the digit in the tens place is less than 5, we leave the digit in the hundreds place unchanged.
- Since the tens place has a 3, which is less than 5, we do not round up the hundreds place. The hundreds place remains 7.
- Replace the digits to the right of the hundreds place with zeroes: After rounding, the number becomes 248,700.
So, 248,739 rounded to the nearest hundred is 248,700.
Why this works:
Rounding helps simplify numbers while keeping them close to the original value. By rounding to the nearest hundred, we keep the number close to the nearest multiple of 100, allowing us to represent the value more easily without changing it too much. This is commonly done in various real-world situations, such as estimating costs, measurements, and population figures, where exact precision may not be necessary for the task at hand.
In this case, rounding 248,739 to 248,700 makes it easier to work with while still being an accurate representation of the value.
