Rounding to the Nearest 1,000: Step-by-Step Example
22 October 2026
Rounding to the nearest 1,000 can feel tricky at first, but it becomes clear when you know what to look for. This example shows exactly how to decide whether to round a number up or down, using the hundreds digit as your guide.
Worked example
Round 4,782 to the nearest 1,000.
Look at the hundreds digit. In 4,782, the hundreds digit is 7.
If the hundreds digit is 5 or more, round up. If it is 4 or less, round down.
7 is more than 5, so round up.
Change the hundreds, tens and ones digits to 0. Add 1 to the thousands digit.
4,000 becomes 5,000.
The correct answer is 5,000.
After seeing this example, your child will recognise when to round up and when to round down to the nearest thousand. They can now try similar questions to build confidence with rounding to powers of ten.
