IGCSE Maths 0580 Estimation and Rounding Past Paper Questions and Worked Solutions

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IGCSE Maths (0580) · Number · 1.9

Every estimation and rounding question from 12 Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics (0580) past papers (May/June 2025 to May/June 2026), syllabus section 1.9. 14 Core-tier questions. Each question is labelled with its question paper code (for example 0580/11/M/J/26) and every final answer matches the official Cambridge mark scheme. Try each question first, then click “Show solution” to check your working. This page is part of our IGCSE Maths 0580 Number past paper questions.

0580 Estimation and Rounding past paper questions: Core (Papers 1 and 3)

12 marksCore

May/June 2026 · Paper 1 · 0580/11/M/J/26 · Q13

By writing each number correct to 1 significant figure, work out an estimate for the value of 9.57 × 3.84⁄6.72 + 1.13.

Show solution
  1. Round each number to 1 significant figure: 9.57 → 10, 3.84 → 4, 6.72 → 7, 1.13 → 1.
  2. Top: 10 × 4 = 40. Bottom: 7 + 1 = 8.
  3. Estimate = 40 ÷ 8 = 5
Answer 5
22 marksCore

May/June 2026 · Paper 1 · 0580/12/M/J/26 · Q5

(a) Write 65 432 correct to the nearest hundred. (b) Write 0.04857 correct to 3 decimal places.

Show solution
Part (a)
  1. The hundreds digit is 4 (65 432). Look at the next digit, the tens digit, which is 3.
  2. 3 is less than 5, so round down: the 4 stays and the digits after it become 0.
  3. 65 432 → 65 400
Answer 65 400
Part (b)
  1. The 3rd decimal place is 8 (0.04857). Look at the next digit, which is 5.
  2. 5 or more means round up: 8 becomes 9.
  3. 0.04857 → 0.049
Answer 0.049
32 marksCore

May/June 2026 · Paper 1 · 0580/13/M/J/26 · Q21

By writing each number correct to 1 significant figure, find an estimate for the value of 341 × 0.47⁄9.8.

Show solution
  1. Round each number to 1 significant figure: 341 → 300, 0.47 → 0.5, 9.8 → 10.
  2. Top: 300 × 0.5 = 150. Bottom: 10.
  3. Estimate = 150 ÷ 10 = 15
Answer 15
42 marksCore

Feb/Mar 2026 · Paper 1 · 0580/12/F/M/26 · Q25

By writing each number in the calculation correct to 1 significant figure, work out an estimate for the value of 0.43 × 22.8⁄13.7.

Show solution
  1. Round each number to 1 significant figure: 0.43 → 0.4, 22.8 → 20, 13.7 → 10.
  2. Top: 0.4 × 20 = 8. Bottom: 10.
  3. Estimate = 8 ÷ 10 = 0.8
Answer 0.8
52 marksCore

Oct/Nov 2025 · Paper 1 · 0580/11/O/N/25 · Q1

(a) Write the number four hundred and sixty thousand and five in figures.

(b) Write 52 149 correct to the nearest hundred.

Show solution
Part (a)
  1. Four hundred and sixty thousand = 460 000.
  2. Add five: 460 000 + 5 = 460 005
Answer 460 005
Part (b)
  1. The hundreds digit is 1 (52 149). Look at the next digit, the tens digit, which is 4.
  2. 4 is less than 5, so round down: the hundreds digit stays 1 and the digits after it become 0.
  3. 52 149 → 52 100
Answer 52 100
62 marksCore

Oct/Nov 2025 · Paper 1 · 0580/11/O/N/25 · Q19

By writing each number in the calculation correct to 1 significant figure, find an estimate for the value of 5.3 × 19.5⁄2.49.

Show solution
  1. Round each number to 1 significant figure: 5.3 → 5, 19.5 → 20, 2.49 → 2.
  2. Top: 5 × 20 = 100. Bottom: 2.
  3. Estimate = 100 ÷ 2 = 50
Answer 50
72 marksCore

Oct/Nov 2025 · Paper 1 · 0580/12/O/N/25 · Q3

(a) Write 17 469 correct to the nearest ten. (b) Write 5.073 correct to 1 decimal place.

Show solution
Part (a)
  1. The tens digit is 6 (17 469). The digit after it is 9, which is 5 or more, so round up: 60 becomes 70.
  2. 17 469 → 17 470
Answer 17 470
Part (b)
  1. The first decimal place is 0 (5.073). The digit after it is 7, which is 5 or more, so round up: 0 becomes 1.
  2. 5.073 → 5.1
Answer 5.1
84 marksCore

Oct/Nov 2025 · Paper 1 · 0580/13/O/N/25 · Q2

(a) Write the number 83 042 in words. (b) Write down the value of the 7 in the number 346 709.

(c) Write 8453 correct to (i) the nearest hundred (ii) the nearest ten.

Show solution
Part (a)
  1. Split the number at the thousands: 83 042 = 83 thousand + 42.
  2. In words: eighty-three thousand and forty-two
Answer eighty-three thousand and forty-two
Part (b)
  1. Write the place values: 346 709 = 3 hundred-thousands, 4 ten-thousands, 6 thousands, 7 hundreds, 0 tens, 9 units.
  2. The 7 is in the hundreds column, so its value is 700
Answer 700
Part (c)(i)
  1. The hundreds digit is 4 (8453). The next digit, 5, is 5 or more, so round up: 4 becomes 5.
  2. 8453 → 8500
Answer 8500
Part (c)(ii)
  1. The tens digit is 5 (8453). The next digit, 3, is less than 5, so round down.
  2. 8453 → 8450
Answer 8450
92 marksCore

Oct/Nov 2025 · Paper 3 · 0580/32/O/N/25 · Q13

Find the value of 8⁵. Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.

Show solution
  1. 8⁵ = 8 × 8 × 8 × 8 × 8 = 32 768.
  2. The first three significant figures are 3, 2, 7. The next digit is 6, so round up to 328.
  3. Fill the other places with zeros: 32 800
Answer 32 800
101 markCore

Oct/Nov 2025 · Paper 3 · 0580/33/O/N/25 · Q17

Write 46.179 correct to 4 significant figures.

Show solution
  1. Count 4 significant figures from the first non-zero digit: 4, 6, 1, 7.
  2. The next digit is 9, which is 5 or more, so round the 7 up to 8.
  3. 46.18
Answer 46.18
113 marksCore

May/June 2025 · Paper 1 · 0580/11/M/J/25 · Q1

(a) Write the number 10 069 in words.

(b) Write 10 069 correct to the nearest ten.

(c) Convert 10 069 centimetres into metres.

Show solution
Part (a)
  1. Split the number at the thousands: 10 069 = 10 thousand + 69.
  2. In words: ten thousand and sixty-nine
Answer ten thousand and sixty-nine
Part (b)
  1. The tens digit is 6 (10 069). Look at the digit after it, the units digit, which is 9.
  2. 9 is 5 or more, so round the tens up: 60 becomes 70.
  3. 10 069 → 10 070
Answer 10 070
Part (c)
  1. There are 100 cm in 1 m, so divide by 100.
  2. 10 069 ÷ 100 = 100.69 m
Answer 100.69 m
122 marksCore

May/June 2025 · Paper 1 · 0580/11/M/J/25 · Q17

By writing each number in the calculation correct to 1 significant figure, find an estimate for the value of 42.8 + 17.4⁄1.97 × 5.79.

Show solution
  1. Round each number to 1 significant figure (the first non-zero digit).
  2. 42.8 → 40, 17.4 → 20, 1.97 → 2, 5.79 → 6
  3. Top: 40 + 20 = 60. Bottom: 2 × 6 = 12.
  4. Estimate = 60 ÷ 12 = 5
Answer 5
132 marksCore

May/June 2025 · Paper 1 · 0580/12/M/J/25 · Q17

By writing each number in the calculation correct to 1 significant figure, find an estimate for the value of 17.8 + 10.3⁄5.5.

Show solution
  1. Round each number to 1 significant figure: 17.8 → 20, 10.3 → 10, 5.5 → 6.
  2. Top: 20 + 10 = 30. Bottom: 6.
  3. Estimate = 30 ÷ 6 = 5
Answer 5
142 marksCore

May/June 2025 · Paper 1 · 0580/13/M/J/25 · Q13

By writing each number in the calculation correct to 1 significant figure, find an estimate for the value of 62.5⁄9.7 × 0.52.

Show solution
  1. Round each number to 1 significant figure: 62.5 → 60, 9.7 → 10, 0.52 → 0.5.
  2. Bottom: 10 × 0.5 = 5.
  3. Estimate = 60 ÷ 5 = 12
Answer 12

Question papers used on this page

All estimation and rounding questions above, listed by 0580 question paper code.

QP codeFile namePaperQuestions
0580/11/M/J/260580_s26_qp_11May/June 2026 · Paper 1 (Core)Q13
0580/12/M/J/260580_s26_qp_12May/June 2026 · Paper 1 (Core)Q5
0580/13/M/J/260580_s26_qp_13May/June 2026 · Paper 1 (Core)Q21
0580/12/F/M/260580_m26_qp_12Feb/Mar 2026 · Paper 1 (Core)Q25
0580/11/O/N/250580_w25_qp_11Oct/Nov 2025 · Paper 1 (Core)Q1, Q19
0580/12/O/N/250580_w25_qp_12Oct/Nov 2025 · Paper 1 (Core)Q3
0580/13/O/N/250580_w25_qp_13Oct/Nov 2025 · Paper 1 (Core)Q2
0580/32/O/N/250580_w25_qp_32Oct/Nov 2025 · Paper 3 (Core)Q13
0580/33/O/N/250580_w25_qp_33Oct/Nov 2025 · Paper 3 (Core)Q17
0580/11/M/J/250580_s25_qp_11May/June 2025 · Paper 1 (Core)Q1, Q17
0580/12/M/J/250580_s25_qp_12May/June 2025 · Paper 1 (Core)Q17
0580/13/M/J/250580_s25_qp_13May/June 2025 · Paper 1 (Core)Q13

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