What is Estimation?
Estimation is like making a smart guess!
Instead of calculating exact numbers, we round numbers to make calculations faster and easier.
This helps when you need a quick answer or want to check if your exact calculation makes sense.
How to Estimate Sums and Differences
1️⃣ Round each number to the nearest ten, hundred, or thousand
2️⃣ Add or subtract the rounded numbers
3️⃣ Check if your estimate makes sense with the original numbers
Let's Practice Estimation!
Example 1: Shopping Estimate
You want to buy a backpack for $47 and a lunchbox for $32. About how much money will you need?
Round each amount to the nearest $10:
$47 → (nearest $10)
$32 → (nearest $10)
Estimated total: ?
Example 2: Travel Distance
Your family is driving 583 miles to Grandma's house. After 297 miles, about how much farther do you have to go?
Round each number to the nearest 100:
583 → (nearest 100)
297 → (nearest 100)
Estimated difference: ?
Parent Tips 🌟
- Make it real: Practice estimation during shopping trips by having your child estimate the total bill before checkout.
- Estimation games: Play "guess how many" games with items around the house (pennies in a jar, steps to the park).
- Check the reasonableness: After exact calculations, ask "Does this answer make sense?" and compare to the estimate.