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Rounding
In mathematics, a process by which a number is approximated to the nearest above or below with fewer decimal places. For example, 34.3583 might be rounded to 3 decimal places – 34.358 (the 3 is below 5), whereas 34.3587 would be rounded to 34.359 (the 7 is above 5). Similarly, 3,587 might be rounded to the nearest thousand (or to 1 significant figure), giving 4,000. When unwanted decimals are simply left out, the process is known as truncating.
Rounding can produce considerable errors, especially when the rounded numbers are multiplied by other rounded numbers.
For example:
The volume of a cuboid is calculated as 3 × 4 × 5, each dimension being rounded to 0 decimal places, the true dimensions being 3.4 × 4.4 × 5.4. The rounding error is 20.784 out of 80.784, an error of over 25%, which could be an unacceptable degree of accuracy.
© Research Machines plc 2008. All rights reserved. Helicon Publishing is a division of Research Machines plc.
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addition
common factor
cube (mathematics)
cube root
division (mathematics)
exponent
factor (number)
index notation
integer
irrational number
multiple
multiplication
negative number
number (mathematics)
number line
pi
place value
power (mathematics)
prime factor
prime number
reciprocal
root (inverse of power)
rounding
square
square root
standard form
subtraction
surd
common factor
cube (mathematics)
cube root
division (mathematics)
exponent
factor (number)
index notation
integer
irrational number
multiple
multiplication
negative number
number (mathematics)
number line
pi
place value
power (mathematics)
prime factor
prime number
reciprocal
root (inverse of power)
rounding
square
square root
standard form
subtraction
surd
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