What is 37.52 rounded to the nearest whole
The correct answer and explanation is:
The number 37.52 rounded to the nearest whole number is 38.
Explanation:
Rounding is the process of adjusting a number to a nearby value that is simpler or more convenient to use, often to make calculations easier or to express the number with fewer digits.
Step 1: Identify the place to round to
- Here, we want to round 37.52 to the nearest whole number. That means we look at the digit in the ones place and decide whether to round up or down based on the digit in the tenths place.
Step 2: Look at the digit in the tenths place
- The number 37.52 has digits as follows:
- Tens place: 3
- Ones place: 7
- Tenths place: 5
- Hundredths place: 2
- To round to the nearest whole number, look at the tenths place (the first digit after the decimal), which is 5 in this case.
Step 3: Apply rounding rules
- The rule is:
- If the tenths digit is 5 or greater, round the ones digit up by 1.
- If the tenths digit is less than 5, keep the ones digit the same.
- Since the tenths digit here is 5, which is equal to or greater than 5, we round up.
Step 4: Calculate the rounded number
- The ones digit is 7, so rounding up by 1 gives: 7 + 1 = 8.
- Therefore, 37.52 rounded to the nearest whole number is 38.
Why rounding matters
Rounding makes numbers easier to communicate or work with when precision beyond a certain point isn’t necessary. For example, if you are estimating costs, distances, or counts, you might round numbers to whole values for simplicity.
In this case, rounding 37.52 to 38 means you are approximating the number to a simpler form while maintaining its value as close as possible.
Summary
- Number: 37.52
- Tenths digit: 5 (equal to or above 5)
- Round up ones digit 7 → 8
- Rounded number = 38