Estimating Sums

and Differences
of Decimals
•Estimation is used to find a quick
and easy answer to a problem
when an exact answer is not
necessary.
•It may be used to check the
reasonableness of an answer.
•To estimate the sum or difference of
decimals, round the number first to the
desired place value before adding or
subtracting.
•To estimate sums or differences of
decimals, round off each decimal to the
nearest whole number, then add or
subtract.
Examples
1. Find the estimated sum of 8.136 and 12.64 to the nearest whole number.
8.136 8 (8.136 is close to 8)
+ 12.64 13 (12.64 is close to 13)
21
Answer: The estimated sum of 8.136 and 12.64 is 21.
2. Round 68.643 and 47.398 to the nearest tenths then find the estimated difference.
68.643 68.6
− 47.398 47.4
21.2
Answer: The estimated difference is 21.2
• Sometimes it is important to overestimate money.
3. Estimate the sum to the nearest whole number. 5. Estimate the sum
₱48.60 + ₱162.40 + ₱84.25 3.65 + 8.92 + 6.425

₱50 + ₱200 + ₱80 = ₱330 4 + 9 + 6 = 19

4. Estimate the difference to the nearest whole number. 6. Estimate the difference
₱987.60 − ₱694.50 19.72 − 10.42

₱1000 − ₱700 = ₱300 20 − 10 = 10

Estimating
Products of
Decimals
• In estimating the product of decimals, round the numbers to
the nearest whole number and then multiply.
Examples
1. Estimate the product of 8.63 and 4.21.
8.63 9 (8.63 is close to 9)
 4.21 4 (4.21 is close to 4)
36
Answer: The estimated product is 36.
2. Round off 15.302 and 5.82 to the nearest whole number to estimate their product.
15.302 15 (15.302 is close to 15)
 5.82 6 (5.82 is close to 6)
90
Answer: The estimated product is 90.
• Another way of estimating the product of given numbers is by rounding off the
numbers to the highest place value and then multiply.

Examples
1. Estimate the product of 18.43 and 39.71.
18.43 20
The highest place value is tens so 18.43 is rounded off to 20 and
 39.71  40 39.71 is rounded off to 40.
800
Answer: The estimated product is 800.
2. What is the estimated product of 912.46 and 27.3?
912.46 900
 27.3  30
27 000
Answer: The estimated product is 27 000.
Estimating
Quotient
of Decimals
• To estimate quotients involving decimals, use compatible numbers.
• Compatible numbers are numbers that divide easily with no remainder.
Examples
1. These are compatible.
36 and 9 48 and 6
81 and 3 63 and 7

2. These are not compatible.

44 and 9 64 and 7 49 and 6
Examples
1. Give the estimated quotient of 645.25 and 7.96 using compatible numbers.

Round off the divisor 7.96  8

Round off the dividend 645.25  648
It should be divisible by 8 and nearest to the given dividend.

Divide the compatible numbers. 648  8 = 81

Answer: The estimated quotient is 81.

• To estimate quotients involving decimals, use compatible numbers.
• Compatible numbers are numbers that divide easily with no remainder.
Examples
2. Find the estimated quotient of 343.80 and 12 using compatible numbers.

343.80  12 300  10 = 30

Answer: The estimated quotient is 34.

• To check if the estimated quotient is reasonable, you can solve for the actual quotient.

343.80  12 = 28.65