GCSE Maths Practice: place-value-and-rounding

Question 1 of 10

This question checks your understanding of rounding to the nearest hundred. You must find which of the numbers becomes 1000 when rounded. Always check the tens digit—it decides whether to round up or down.

›

\( \begin{array}{l}\text{Which of the following numbers round to 1000 when rounded to the nearest hundred?}\end{array} \)

Select all correct options:

Exam tip: Numbers ending in 50 or higher round up. Numbers ending below 50 round down. To check, imagine a number line between 900 and 1000—950 is the turning point.

Try more: 1450, 1899, 850.

Concept Overview

Rounding helps simplify numbers so they are easier to work with. When rounding to the nearest hundred, we look at the tens digit. If the tens digit is 5 or higher, we round the hundreds digit up. If it’s 4 or lower, we keep the hundreds digit the same. After rounding, the last two digits (tens and ones) become zeros.

In this question, we must decide which of the numbers—1250, 1150, and 950—become 1000 after rounding to the nearest hundred.

Step-by-Step Method

  1. Identify the hundreds and tens digits. The hundreds digit shows which hundred the number is currently near, and the tens digit tells you whether to stay or round up.
  2. Apply the rounding rule:
    • If the tens digit is 0–4, round down.
    • If the tens digit is 5–9, round up.
  3. Replace all digits to the right of the hundreds place with zeros.
  4. Check the result. The rounded number should clearly show the nearest hundred.

Worked Examples

Example 1. Round 742 to the nearest hundred.

  • Hundreds = 7; tens = 4 → 4 < 5 → round down.
  • Answer: 700.

Example 2. Round 265 to the nearest hundred.

  • Hundreds = 2; tens = 6 → 6 ≥ 5 → round up.
  • Answer: 300.

Example 3. Round 950 to the nearest hundred.

  • Hundreds = 9; tens = 5 → 5 ≥ 5 → round up.
  • Answer: 1000.

Common Mistakes

  • Rounding down when the tens digit is 5: Numbers ending in 50 always round up, not down.
  • Forgetting the zeros: When rounding to the nearest hundred, both the tens and ones digits must become zeros.
  • Mixing up hundreds and thousands: Always identify which place value you are rounding to before deciding the rule.

Real-Life Applications

Rounding to the nearest hundred appears in many everyday situations:

  • Money: A cost of £950 can be rounded to £1000 for budgeting.
  • Population: A town with 950 people might be described as having “around 1000 residents.”
  • Distance: A 950-metre walk is roughly 1 kilometre.

Being able to round quickly helps when estimating totals, comparing quantities, or checking the reasonableness of calculations.

FAQ

Q1: Why does 950 round to 1000 and not 900?
A: Because the tens digit (5) means we round up to the next hundred.

Q2: What about 1050?
A: It also rounds up to 1100 because the tens digit is 5.

Q3: What if the number was 940?
A: It would round down to 900 since the tens digit (4) is less than 5.

Study Tip

Draw a quick number line between 900 and 1000. Mark the midpoint at 950. Any number from 950 to 999 rounds up to 1000; anything below 950 rounds down to 900. This simple visual rule works for all rounding problems.