Round to the Nearest Tenth: Step-by-Step Guide & Examples

Rounding 20.155 to the nearest tenth gives 20.2, not 20.1 — a split-second decision the hundredths digit settles. This small math habit makes decimals friendlier in everyday life, from splitting tabs to reading gauges.

1. Identify the tenths place (first digit after the decimal).
2. Check the hundredths digit (second digit after the decimal).
3. If the hundredths digit is 5 or greater, round up the tenths digit; otherwise keep it.

Rounding rule: Check the hundredths digit; if 5 or greater, round up the tenths digit; otherwise keep it. · Tenths place: First digit after the decimal point. · Example: 20.155 → 20.2 (hundredths digit is 5). · Example: 13.989 → 14.0 (hundredths digit 8, carries over).

Four numbers tell the story: rounding boils down to a single digit and a simple rule. The table below lays out the essential facts.

How do you round to the nearest tenth?

Identify the tenths place

• The tenths place is the first digit to the right of the decimal point. In 20.155, the tenths digit is 1. In 13.989, it’s 9.

Look at the hundredths digit

• The hundredths digit is the second digit after the decimal. This digit decides the direction: round up or stay put. (Super Teacher Worksheets (educational publisher))

Apply the rounding rule

• If the hundredths digit is 5 or greater, increase the tenths digit by one. If it’s 4 or less, keep the tenths digit unchanged. The result has exactly one decimal place. (Math Salamanders (math education resource))

The implication: one digit — the hundredths — holds all the power. Get that right and you’ll never round incorrectly.

What is 20.155 rounded to the nearest tenth?

Step-by-step solution for 20.155

• Tenths digit: 1 (first decimal). Hundredths digit: 5 (second decimal). Since 5 ≥ 5, round the tenths digit up from 1 to 2. Result: 20.2. (Effortless Math (test prep resource))

Common mistake: misreading the hundredths digit

• Some learners look at the thousandths digit (third decimal) by mistake. Only the hundredths digit matters for rounding to the nearest tenth. The thousandths digit is ignored. (YouTube – 3rd Grade Common Core Video (math tutorial channel))

Why this matters: a single misplaced glance at the wrong digit turns 20.155 into 20.1 instead of 20.2 — a small error that compounds in multi-step problems.

What is 13.989 to the nearest tenth?

Step-by-step solution for 13.989

• Tenths digit: 9. Hundredths digit: 8 (≥5), so round up the tenths. But 9 + 1 = 10, which carries to the ones place: 13 becomes 14. The decimal becomes .0. Result: 14.0. (Effortless Math (test prep resource))

Carry-over when the tenths digit is 9

• Rounding a 9 in the tenths place increases the whole‑number part. For example, 13.989 → 14.0, not 13.10 (which is impossible). The decimal keeps one digit: .0. (Super Teacher Worksheets (educational publisher))

The pattern: carry-over reveals that rounding sometimes changes more than just the decimal — it can bump the whole number, too.

How do you round 20.83 to the nearest tenth?

Step-by-step solution for 20.83

• Tenths digit: 8. Hundredths digit: 3 (<5), so keep the tenths digit unchanged. Result: 20.8. (Super Teacher Worksheets (educational publisher))

Rounding down when the hundredths digit is less than 5

• This is the “4 or below, let it go” half of the mnemonic. No carry, no change — just drop the extra digits. (YouTube – 3rd Grade Common Core Video (math tutorial channel))

The trade-off: rounding down preserves the tenths digit exactly as it is, which is the safest operation — no carries, no surprises.

What is 473 to the nearest 10?

Rounding whole numbers to the nearest ten: rule

• Round whole numbers to the nearest ten using the ones digit: if 5 or more, round up the tens digit; otherwise keep it. For 473, the ones digit is 3 (<5), so the tens digit (7) stays. Result: 470. (K5 Learning (educational publisher))

Examples: 473→470, 328→330, 123→120, 186→190, 432→430

• 328: ones digit 8 ≥5 → tens digit 2 becomes 3 → 330.
• 123: ones digit 3 <5 → tens digit 2 stays → 120.
• 186: ones digit 6 ≥5 → tens digit 8 becomes 9 → 190.
• 432: ones digit 2 <5 → tens digit 3 stays → 430. (Tutoring Hour (educational worksheet provider))

What this means: whole‑number rounding follows the same logic as decimal rounding. The only difference is the place you’re aiming for — tens instead of tenths.

“Round off 20.83 to the nearest tenths — the tenths digit is 8 and the hundredths digit is 3, so we keep 20.8.”

CK‑12 Foundation (STEM education nonprofit)

“To round a decimal to the nearest tenth, look at the digit in the hundredths place. If it is 5 or greater, round the digit in the tenths place up by one.”

Khan Academy (free online learning platform)

For students preparing for tests that reward precision, mastering this rounding rule means fewer careless errors and better scores. The rule is simple, the examples are clear, and the practice pays off every time a decimal appears.

Frequently asked questions