What is 235.709 to the nearest hundredths?

Answer 1

What we have with the number 235.709, and rounding to the nearest hundredths is knowing your decimal positions.

If we had a number "1.abcde..."

we would call the number 1 = whole number (scientific notation 1.01)

we would call the position "a" = tenths (scientific notation 10-1)

we would call the position "b" = hundredths (scientific notation 10-2)

we would call the position "c" = thousandths (scientific notation 10-3)

we would call the position "d" = ten thousandths (scientific notation 10-4)

we would call the position "e" = hundred thousandths (scientific notation 10-5)

and this numbering system would continue.

In actuality, people might talk about "thousandths," but rarely list anything beyond that (because it begins to become a mouthful! and awkward to say). So then Scientific Notation is used. Do you see how much easier it is to say 10-5 versus "a hundred thousandths"?) The exponent being a negative number informs us how many zero's we need to place to the right of the decimal point. So, 10-5 = 0.000 001

After reviewing what is being asked, we can get back to your original question: "round to the nearest hundredths." You see that 235.709 has values to the "thousandths" position. Therefore, we need to drop a position to get to the "hundredths" position.

With .709, you can see that the "9" is higher than 5, so you would carry 1 to the next position (the zero would become one), and you now .71 which is to the "hundredth" position.

Your answer would then be 235.71

Now, what would be your number if it was rounded to the nearest tenth?