Nearest neighbours
Which multiple is the number closest to?
A big number, a simple neighbour
Take the number 6,72,85,183. We want a simpler number that is close to it.
The nearest lakh to 6,72,85,183 is…
What this lesson covers
The idea
A large number can be approximated by its nearest neighbours: the nearest thousand, ten thousand, lakh, ten lakh or crore, that is, the multiple of that place value closest to the number.
A big number, a simple neighbour
Take the number 6,72,85,183. We want a simpler number that is close to it.
The nearest lakh to 6,72,85,183 is…
- 6,72,00,000
- 6,73,00,000
- 6,70,00,000
Find all five neighbours
The number sits between two multiples. Tap the one it is nearer to. The dashed mark is halfway.
The closest multiple
A large number can be approximated by its nearest neighbours: the nearest thousand, ten thousand, lakh, ten lakh or crore, that is, the multiple of that place value closest to the number.
Find the two multiples on either side. If the number is past the halfway mark, go up; otherwise go down.
- Nearest… | of 6,72,85,183
- thousand | 6,72,85,000
- ten thousand | 6,72,90,000
- lakh | 6,73,00,000
- ten lakh | 6,70,00,000
- crore | 7,00,00,000
Notes
A large number can be approximated by its nearest neighbours: the nearest thousand, ten thousand, lakh, ten lakh or crore, that is, the multiple of that place value closest to the number.
Check yourself
Find the nearest lakh to 4,38,210.
Answer: 400000
4,38,210 is 38,210 above 4,00,000 but 61,790 below 5,00,000. The nearest lakh is 4,00,000.
Find the nearest ten thousand to 83,57,491.
Answer: 8360000
83,57,491 is 2,509 below 83,60,000 and 7,491 above 83,50,000. The nearest ten thousand is 83,60,000.
What is the nearest ten lakh to 6,72,85,183?
- 6,70,00,000 — correct. Yes! It is 2,85,183 above 6,70,00,000 but 7,14,817 below 6,80,00,000.
- 6,73,00,000. That is the nearest lakh. A ten lakh jumps in steps of 10,00,000.
- 6,80,00,000. The number has not even reached the halfway mark, 6,75,00,000, so it does not go up.