Rounding to the Nearest 10,000 Example
22 October 2026
When children learn to round numbers to the nearest 10,000, it helps them estimate and compare large values quickly. Understanding which digit to check and what to do next is a key part of mastering rounding for the 11+ exam.
Worked example
Round 47,362 to the nearest 10,000.
Step 1: Find the 10,000s place. Here, it is 4 (in 47,362).
Step 2: Look at the digit to the right, the 1,000s place. Here, it is 7.
Step 3: If this digit is 5 or more, round the 10,000s place up by 1. If it is 4 or less, keep it the same.
Step 4: 7 is more than 5, so round up. 4 becomes 5.
Step 5: Change all digits to the right of the 10,000s place to zeros.
The correct answer is 50,000.
After seeing this example, your child will know how to spot the correct place value and decide whether to round up or down. They can now try similar questions to build confidence with rounding numbers to powers of 10.
