Rounding to the Nearest 10 Worksheets

Rounding to the nearest 10 means replacing a number with the multiple of ten that is closest to it, such as 43 with 40, or 47 with 50. The five PDFs on this page have rounding hills, tables for 2-digit and 3-digit numbers, a color-by-rounding picture and a riddle, and every sheet has an answer key. They follow standard 3.NBT.A.1 of the Common Core standards for grade 3 number and operations in base ten, and the notes below show the rule, the numbers that round to each ten and what happens when a 9 rounds up.

How to round to the nearest ten

Look at the ones digit. If it is 0 to 4, the number rounds down to the ten below. If it is 5 to 9, it rounds up to the next ten. The tens digit either stays the same or goes up by one, and the ones become 0.

The last row is the one that surprises children: rounding 497 up to the next ten means 49 tens become 50 tens, which is 500.

What is on this page

• Rounding hills: place each number on the hill between two tens and decide which way it rolls.
• Rounding tables for 2-digit and 3-digit numbers.
• Color by rounding: round the number in each square to find its color and reveal a heart.
• Rounding riddle: the rounded answers decode a joke.

Rounding to the nearest 10 worksheets: what is in the set

There are 5 rounding to the nearest 10 worksheets on this page, and every one has an answer key except for any cut-out games. One sheet is a set of rounding hills, two are tables of 2-digit and 3-digit numbers, one is a color-by-rounding picture, and one is a riddle.

Rounding to the nearest 10 worksheets: the one rule

The rounding to the nearest 10 worksheets use a single rule: look at the ones digit. If it is 0 to 4, the number goes down to the ten below, and if it is 5 to 9, it goes up to the next ten. Wikipedia’s article on rounding explains the rule and why halfway numbers round up. This table shows the three cases:

A rounded number always ends in a zero. A child who writes 62 for the rounded value of 62 has not finished, since 62 is not a multiple of ten. The tens and ones page explains the tens and ones that the rule uses.

Round to the nearest ten: which numbers round to each ten?

When children round to the nearest ten, they can ask the question the other way round: which numbers round to 40? The answer is the ten numbers from 35 to 44, which are the 5 numbers below 40, 40 itself and the 4 numbers above. This table shows the ten numbers for each ten from 10 to 100:

Every ten has the same number of numbers that round to it, which is 10. The halfway number, such as 35, is the first to round up. The diagram above shows 35 to 44 in green. The number line tool shows the same idea on a line.

Rounding hill worksheet: down, up and halfway

The rounding hill worksheet draws a hill between two tens, with the halfway number at the top. A number on the left side of the hill rolls down to the left, and a number on the right side rolls down to the right. The number at the top, 45, is the one that could go either way, and by the rule it goes up. This table shows eight numbers, with the steps to the ten below and the ten above:

The number with the fewer steps wins. For 43, it is 3 steps down against 7 steps up, so it rolls down to 40. The 45 is 5 steps from each side, so the convention is to round up. The sheet shows each hill with a ball, and children draw an arrow in the direction that the ball rolls.

Rounding worksheets 3rd grade: how often does each case happen?

For rounding worksheets 3rd grade, it helps to know how the 90 two-digit numbers divide up. This table counts them:

Exactly half of the two-digit numbers round up, since five of the ten ones digits (5 to 9) round up, four (1 to 4) round down and one (0) stays. The numbers 95 to 99 are special, since they round up to 100, which has three digits. On average the rounded number is 2.5 away from the original, and never more than 5.

Rounding 2 digit numbers and 3 digit numbers

When rounding 2 digit numbers, the tens digit changes only when the number rounds up. When rounding 3-digit numbers to the nearest ten, the hundreds digit can change too, as in 497, which rounds to 500. This table shows seven 3-digit numbers:

Among the 900 three-digit numbers, 45 change their hundreds digit when they are rounded to the nearest ten. They are the numbers ending in 95 to 99, such as 497, 595 and 999. The reason is that 497 is 49 tens and 7 ones, and rounding up gives 50 tens, which is 500. This is the case that surprises children the most.

Where rounding to the nearest 10 is used

Rounding is a skill that people use all the time, usually without noticing. This table shows five uses:

A rounded number is easier to remember, add and compare, and it is the basis for the estimates on the estimating with rounding page. The rounding calculator checks any answer.

Common mistakes with rounding to the nearest 10

The most common mistake is to round the halfway number down. This table shows five mistakes, what went wrong and the fix:

Rounding to the nearest 10 word problems

Rounding comes up in counts, lengths and scores. Ask children to circle the ones digit, to say which ten is closer, and to write the rounded number:

Games and activities for rounding to the nearest 10

Children learn rounding to the nearest 10 best when they play with it. These games use things that are found at home or in a classroom:

• Human number line: stand in a line from 40 to 50, and have each child decide which ten to walk to
• Rounding hill race: roll two dice for a 2-digit number, and say where the ball rolls
• Round and match: match number cards with the rounded numbers
• Closest ten: pick a card, and write the closest ten on a whiteboard
• Rounding bingo: a bingo card with tens, and calling cards with numbers to round
• Color by rounding: solve the heart picture on this page, and color by the key

Extra support and extra challenge with rounding to the nearest 10

For children who need more support: use a number line or the rounding hill for every number, and mark the two tens that the number is between. Say the ones digit aloud, and check whether it is less than 5. Start with numbers where the answer is clear, such as 32 and 78, and add 45 and 95 later. Use the answer key to check each hill.

For children who need more challenge: ask for all the numbers that round to 70, for the smallest 3-digit number that rounds to 500, and for a number that rounds to 100 and has two digits. The sheet with 3-digit numbers, such as 497, and the riddle are good challenges.

How to tell that a child is ready to move on from rounding to the nearest 10

Before moving on from rounding to the nearest 10, check that the child can do all four of these things:

1. The child finds the ten below and the ten above a number.
2. The child looks at the ones digit and decides which way to round.
3. The child rounds halfway numbers such as 45 up.
4. The child rounds a 3-digit number such as 497 to 500.

When all four are true, move on to the rounding to the nearest 100 page.

A 20-minute lesson on rounding to the nearest 10

A short lesson is the best way to introduce rounding to the nearest 10. This 20-minute plan can be used in a classroom, at a tutoring session or at home, and it uses the worksheets at the end:

Where rounding to the nearest 10 fits across the grades

No skill stands alone. This table shows what children learn before and after rounding to the nearest 10, with the standard that goes with each step:

This page is the first of the rounding pages. The whole sequence is on the rounding worksheets page.

Helping at home with rounding to the nearest 10

Parents do not need to be experts to help with rounding to the nearest 10. These suggestions work well, and each takes only a few minutes:

• Round the price of an item to the nearest ten, and check the total.
• Ask “which ten is it closer to?” when you see a number on a sign.
• Use a ruler or a tape measure as a number line.
• Play “halfway”: say 35, 45 and 65 and ask where they round.
• Check the answers with the answer key, and ask the child to explain one.

How to check progress in rounding to the nearest 10

A teacher or parent can check progress in rounding to the nearest 10 with the answer key and a few questions. This table shows three common situations, what they mean and what to do next:

A five-day plan for rounding to the nearest 10

Most children need about a week of short sessions for rounding to the nearest 10. This plan follows the order of the worksheets on this page:

When the plan for rounding to the nearest 10 is complete, move on to the rounding to the nearest 100 page. The whole sequence is on the rounding worksheets page.