By first rounding each number to 1 significant figure, estimate the answer to
[tex]$427+941$[/tex]
Answer (1)
Round 427 to one significant figure, which gives 400.
Round 941 to one significant figure, which gives 900.
Add the rounded numbers: 400 + 900 = 1300 .
The estimated answer is 1300 .
Explanation
Understanding the Problem We are asked to estimate the sum of 427 and 941 by first rounding each number to one significant figure. This means we need to round each number to the nearest hundred.
Rounding 427 To round 427 to one significant figure, we look at the first digit, which is 4 . The next digit is 2 , which is less than 5 , so we round down to 400 .
Rounding 941 To round 941 to one significant figure, we look at the first digit, which is 9 . The next digit is 4 , which is less than 5 , so we round down to 900 .
Adding the Rounded Numbers Now we add the rounded numbers: 400 + 900 = 1300 .
Final Answer Therefore, the estimated answer to 427 + 941 by first rounding each number to one significant figure is 1300 .
Examples
Estimating sums by rounding to one significant figure is useful in everyday situations where you need a quick, approximate calculation. For example, if you are buying groceries and the items cost $427 and $941, you can quickly estimate the total cost by rounding each amount to the nearest hundred, giving you $400 + $900 = $1300. This allows you to quickly check if you have enough money or if the cashier made a mistake.
