5th Grade · Number & Operations in Base Ten
5.NBT.A.4: Round decimals, like 4.68 to the nearest tenth
5.NBT.A.4 is a 5th grade Common Core math standard in Number & Operations in Base Ten. Here’s what it really covers, and how you can help your students learn it.
By Robert “Bobby” BarnettMath teacher, parent, and founder of Bobby’s Math Club
The standard
Use place value understanding to round decimals to any place.
In plain words
Round decimals, like 4.68 to the nearest tenth.
Sample questions from student practice
These questions from Bobby's Math Club are the kinds of questions your students will see. You can try answering them to see what a student might see.
Question 1 of 3
Amara swam one length of the pool in 18.6 seconds. What is her time to the nearest whole second?
- 20 seconds
- 18 seconds
- 19 seconds
Where students can get stuck
- Rounding to the wrong place, giving 5 or 4.68 for 4.68 to the nearest tenth instead of 4.7.
- Stumbling when rounding carries over, writing 2.10 or 2.9 for 2.97 to the nearest tenth instead of 3.0.
- Looking at every digit to the right, so the final 9 in 3.149 makes them round up to 3.2 instead of 3.1.
Effective teaching strategies
- Draw a number line from 4.6 to 4.7 with students, mark the halfway point 4.65, and have them place 4.68 to see which tenth it is nearer.
- Ask students to circle the digit in the rounding place and underline only the digit right beside it, then explain why digits farther right do not matter.
- Have students round 2.97 to the nearest tenth on a number line from 2.9 to 3.0, and write the answer as 3.0 to show the tenths place is still there.
Units that teach this standard
Find where 5.NBT.A.4 lands in the program you teach. Each unit has a guide written for families. Unit names and order vary between editions and districts, so your school’s own materials have the exact sequence.
Bridges in Mathematics
enVision Mathematics
i-Ready Classroom Mathematics
Illustrative Mathematics
Math Expressions
Don’t see your curriculum? Contact Bobby and we’ll see if we can help!
Share it with families
Families can read Rounding decimals, like 4.68 to 4.7 for a plain-language look at this skill, with three questions to try together and ideas for helping at home.
Help every student practice place value at home
In Bobby's Math Club, students practice at just the right level, with a hint when they need one, a clear explanation after every question, and kid-friendly videos. Unlimited practice is free for every family.
See how it works for teachers
Written by Robert “Bobby” Barnett
Bobby is an award-winning math teacher, the author of Meet Every Learner’s Needs, and the father of two elementary-school math learners. He uses Bobby’s Math Club with his own kids a few times every week. Learn more or contact Bobby.