Step 7 Objective

Use rounding to make estimates; round numbers to the nearest whole number or to one or two decimal places.

Examples of what pupils should know and be able to do

Probing questions

Talk me through how you would use rounding to estimate the answer to this calculation.

What influenced your decision about how to round?

Why do we round to make estimates?

What if pupils find this a barrier?

Encourage pupils to 'read' the calculation and consider the most helpful ways to estimate so as to make the mental calculation easier.

You may need to refer back to Step 6 to make sure that pupils are confident with rounding.

Practise in different real-life situations so that pupils are encouraged to use common sense as well as rules of rounding.