What is 2.5 rounded to the nearest tenth
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
To round 2.5 to the nearest tenth, we first need to understand the place value system and the rules for rounding numbers.
Step-by-step explanation:
- Identify the place value:
The number 2.5 consists of two digits: 2 and 5. The digit 2 is in the ones place, and the digit 5 is in the tenths place. We are asked to round to the nearest tenth, which means we will look at the digit in the hundredths place to determine how to round. - Look at the digit in the hundredths place:
The hundredths place is the second digit to the right of the decimal point. In this case, 2.5 does not have a digit beyond the tenths place, which means it can be considered as 2.50 (with an implied zero in the hundredths place). - Apply rounding rules:
The general rule for rounding is:
- If the digit in the place immediately to the right of the place we are rounding to is 5 or greater, we round up.
- If the digit in that place is less than 5, we round down (or leave the number unchanged). In this case, the digit in the hundredths place (which is implied to be 0) is less than 5, so we round down. Since the digit in the tenths place is 5, and there are no digits following it, we leave it as it is.
- Conclusion:
When 2.5 is rounded to the nearest tenth, the result is 2.5. Even though we may think of rounding as changing the number, the fact that 2.5 is already at the nearest tenth means it doesn’t change.
In summary, when rounding to the nearest tenth, 2.5 remains 2.5 because the digit after the decimal point is already in the tenth place and there are no digits that require us to round up. This is a simple example of how rounding works based on place value, ensuring that we retain the most accurate representation of the number while adhering to standard rounding rules.