Rounding Numbers — Lesson for an 8-year-old: Round to the Nearest Ten and Hundred

Easy, friendly rounding lesson for an 8-year-old: learn the '5 or more, give it a shove' rule, use a number line, see step-by-step examples, and practice with answers.

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Rounding Numbers (for an 8‑year‑old)

Rounding helps you make numbers simpler while keeping them close to the original. We will learn how to round to the nearest ten and to the nearest hundred. This is like finding which ‘friendly’ number (10, 20, 30… or 100, 200…) is closest.

Rule (Easy to remember)

Look at the digit to the right:

  • If that digit is 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4 → round down (stay the same for the left part).
  • If that digit is 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9 → round up (add 1 to the left part).

Kids often remember: "5 or more, give it a shove; 4 or less, let it rest."

Steps to round to the nearest ten

  1. Find the ones digit (the rightmost digit).
  2. Use the rule above on the ones digit.
  3. Change the ones digit to 0. If you rounded up, add 1 to the tens digit first.

Examples (nearest ten)

Example 1: Round 34 to the nearest ten.

  1. Ones digit is 4 → 4 is in 0–4, so round down.
  2. Keep the tens digit 3 and change the ones to 0 → 30.

So, 34 rounds to 30.

Example 2: Round 36 to the nearest ten.

  1. Ones digit is 6 → 6 is in 5–9, so round up.
  2. Add 1 to the tens digit (3 → 4) and change the ones to 0 → 40.

So, 36 rounds to 40.

Steps to round to the nearest hundred

  1. Find the tens digit (the digit right of the hundreds place).
  2. Use the rule on that tens digit.
  3. Change the tens and ones digits to 0. If you rounded up, add 1 to the hundreds digit first.

Example (nearest hundred)

Round 462 to the nearest hundred.

  1. Tens digit is 6 → 6 is in 5–9, so round up.
  2. Add 1 to the hundreds digit (4 → 5) and change tens and ones to 0 → 500.

So, 462 rounds to 500.

Number line picture (helps you see which friendly number is closer)

30 --- 32 --- 33 --- 34 --- 35 --- 36 --- 37 --- 38 --- 39 --- 40
                 ^ 34 is closer to 30          ^ 36 is closer to 40

Try these (round to the nearest ten)

  1. 23
  2. 47
  3. 55
  4. 89
  5. 101
Answers (click to show)
  1. 23 → 20
  2. 47 → 50
  3. 55 → 60 (because the ones digit is 5 → round up)
  4. 89 → 90
  5. 101 → 100 (nearest ten is 100 because ones digit is 1 → round down)

Extra tips

  • If all digits to the right become zeros, that is fine — the number is simpler now.
  • Practice with a number line — it helps you 'see' closer numbers.
  • Start with rounding to tens, then try hundreds when you feel ready.

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