What is 16.01 rounded to the nearest tens?
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Answer: 16.01 rounded to the nearest tens is 20.
Explanation:
To round a number to the nearest tens place, follow these steps:
- Identify the digit in the tens place.
In the number 16.01, the tens digit is 1. It is the second digit from the left. - Look at the digit in the ones place, which is immediately to the right of the tens digit.
In this case, the ones digit is 6. - Use rounding rules:
- If the digit in the ones place is 5 or greater, increase the tens digit by 1 and change all digits to the right to 0.
- If the digit in the ones place is less than 5, keep the tens digit the same and change all digits to the right to 0.
- Apply the rules:
The ones digit is 6, which is greater than 5, so the tens digit 1 is increased by 1 to become 2. Then, the ones place and all decimal digits are replaced with zeros. Therefore, 16.01 becomes 20 when rounded to the nearest tens.
Why Rounding Is Important:
Rounding helps simplify numbers, making them easier to understand and work with in everyday life. When estimating prices, quantities, or measurements, rounded numbers can help make quicker decisions or calculations without needing exact figures. Rounding to the nearest tens is especially common when estimating totals in shopping, budgeting, or reporting large numbers in a summarized form.
Even though 16.01 is only slightly above 16, rounding to the nearest tens focuses on the tens digit and the value of the ones place. Since the ones digit is large enough (5 or more), rounding rules dictate that the tens digit must increase. As a result, the final rounded number becomes 20, providing a simpler and cleaner value for estimation or general use.
