Which statement is correct about rounding 30,409 to the nearest thousand?

Which statement is correct about rounding 30,409 to the nearest thousand?

• A. Sam is correct; it rounds to 31,000.
• B. Neither is correct; 30,409 rounds to 30,000.
• C. Paul is correct; it rounds to 30,400.
• D. The rounded value is 31,000.

Answer: (B)

Rounding to the nearest thousand means you look at the hundreds digit to decide whether to bump the thousands up or keep it the same. If the hundreds digit is 5 through 9, you increase the thousand place; if it’s 0 through 4, you leave it as is. For 30,409, the hundreds digit is 4. Since it’s less than 5, you don’t carry over to the thousands. The number rounds down to 30,000 when rounding to the nearest thousand. That’s why the statement about the rounded value being 30,000 is correct. A rounding to 31,000 would require the hundreds digit to be at least 5. And 30,400 isn’t the result when rounding to the nearest thousand (it would be a result you'd get from rounding to the nearest hundred).

Rounding to the nearest thousand means you look at the hundreds digit to decide whether to bump the thousands up or keep it the same. If the hundreds digit is 5 through 9, you increase the thousand place; if it’s 0 through 4, you leave it as is.

For 30,409, the hundreds digit is 4. Since it’s less than 5, you don’t carry over to the thousands. The number rounds down to 30,000 when rounding to the nearest thousand. That’s why the statement about the rounded value being 30,000 is correct.

A rounding to 31,000 would require the hundreds digit to be at least 5. And 30,400 isn’t the result when rounding to the nearest thousand (it would be a result you'd get from rounding to the nearest hundred).