Work out the missing values in the following estimation:
$48 \times 526 \approx \ldots \times$
Answer (1)
Round 48 to 50 and 526 to 500.
Multiply the rounded numbers: 50 × 500 = 25000 .
The missing values are 50 and 500.
Therefore, 48 × 526 ≈ 50 × 500 .
Explanation
Understanding the Problem We are given the estimation problem 48 × 526 ≈ … × … . Our goal is to find two numbers that, when multiplied, give a result close to the product of 48 and 526.
Rounding the Numbers To make the estimation easier, we can round the numbers 48 and 526. A reasonable rounding would be to round 48 to 50 and 526 to 500.
Multiplying Rounded Numbers Now, we multiply the rounded numbers: 50 × 500 = 25000 .
Finding the Missing Values The actual product of 48 and 526 is 25248. Our estimation of 25000 is quite close to the actual value. Therefore, the missing values are 50 and 500.
Examples
Estimating calculations is useful in everyday situations, such as when you're shopping and want to quickly calculate the total cost of several items. For example, if you're buying 5 items that cost $4.95 each, you can estimate the total cost by rounding $4.95 to $5 and then multiplying $5 by 5, which gives you an estimate of $25. This allows you to quickly check if you have enough money or if the cashier made a mistake.
