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Round a Number to the Nearest Whole Number or Integer
> ... Math > Rounding and Decimals > Round a Number to the Nearest Whole Number or Integer

Sometimes in real life, we can’t use decimals. For example, the number of people you are inviting to a party can’t be a decimal number. You can’t have 8.7 people, but you can have 8 or 9 people. Rounding to the nearest whole number is how we deal with problems like this. The table below shows the rules for whether you round up (from 4.56 to 5) or down (from 4.46 to 4).

Tenths Place How to round to nearest whole number or integer Example
0, 1, 2, 3, 4Keep the number in the one's place

17.4 Rounds to 17

-3.4 rounds to -3

5, 6, 7, 8, 9Increase the number in the one's place by 1

17.5 Rounds to 18

-1.6 Rounds to -2

Rounding to the nearest whole number

Video Source (09:46 mins) | Transcript

Practice Problems

  1. Round \(2.3\) to the nearest whole number. (
    Solution
    x
    Solution: 2
    Details:
    To find our answer, start with a number line displaying only the numbers between 0 and 3.
    This is a number line that displays the numbers from zero to three.

    Magnify between points 2 and 3. Magnifying will show the decimals between 2 and 3.
    This is a number line that displays the decimal points between the numbers 2 and 3. There are hash marks evenly spaced along the line. The hash mark on the far left is labeled with the number 2. Going to the right, the next is labeled 2.1. Continuing on they are labeled 2 point 2, 2 point 3, 2 point 4, 2 point 5, 2 point 6, 2 point 7, 2 point 8, 2 point 9. The hash mark on the far left is labeled with the number 3.

    Next, find the 2.3.
    This is the same as the previous image except now the number 2 point 3 is highlighted.

    Finally, we compare the distances before and after 2.3. We find that 2.3 is closer to 2 and further away from 3.
    This is the same as the previous image except now there is a line below the number line stretching horizontally from the number 2 to the number 2 point 3. There is another line stretching horizontally from the number 2 point 3 to the number 3. The first line is much shorter than the second line. These lines represent the distance of 2.3 from the number 2 and from the number 3.

    The correct answer is to round to 2.
    )
  2. Round \(-0.8\) to the nearest integer. (
    Solution
    x
    Solution: \(-1\)
    Details:
    To find the answer, start with a number line displaying only the numbers between \(-1\) and 1.
    This is a number line that displays the numbers from negative one to one.

    Magnify between the points \(-1\) and 0. Magnifying will show all the negative decimals between \(-1\) and 0.
    This horizontal number line has hash marks spaced evenly. The hash mark on the far left is labeled as negative 1. The next one to the right is negative 0 point 9 followed by negative 0 point 8, negative 0 point 7, negative 0 point 6, negative 0 point 5, negative 0 point 4, negative 0 point 3, negative 0 point 2, negative 0 point 1, and finally the hash mark on the far right is labeled 0.

    Finally, compare the distances before and after \(-0.8\). We find that \(-0.8\) is closer to \(-1\) and further away from 0.
    This image is the same as the previous one except there is a line below the number line that stretches horizontally from the number negative 1 to the number negative 0 point 8. There is a second horizontal line that is much longer that stretches from the number negative 0 point 8 to the number 0.

    The correct answer is to round to \(-1\).
    )
  3. Round \(72\) to the nearest whole number. (
    Solution
    x
    Solution:
    72
    )
  4. Round \(2.94\) to the nearest whole number. (
    Video Solution
    x
    Solution: 3
    Details:

    (Video Source | Transcript)
    )
  5. Round \(-24.49999\) to the nearest integer. (
    Solution
    x
    Solution:
    \(-24\)
    )
  6. Round \(42.0201\) to the nearest whole number. (
    Video Solution
    x
    Solution: 42
    Details:

    (Video Source | Transcript)
    )

    Need More Help?

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