Estimate Then Solve - Arithmetic Step by Step

Divide 45 by 5. First estimate: round 45 to 50, so 50 ÷ 5 = 10. Then find the exact answer: 45 ÷ 5 = 9. The estimate (10) is close to the exact answer (9), confirming the result.

Example

estimate-then-solve-word-problem.math

45 ÷ 5

step: round 45 to 50
step: estimate: 50 ÷ 5 = 10
step: exact: 45 ÷ 5 = 9
step: estimate 10 vs exact 9
step: answer: 9

estimate-then-solve Estimating before solving helps you catch errors. Round the numbers to friendly values, compute a quick estimate, then solve exactly. Compare the two answers — if they are far apart, recheck your work.