What is 1% of 519.3? Find the exact answer and an estimate using front-end rounding.

Explanation

To find the exact answer, we will move the decimal point in 519.3 two places to the left.  To find an estimate, we will move the decimal point in an approximation of 519.3 two places to the left.

We move the decimal point two places to the left because 1% of a number means 0.01 of (times) the number.

Solution

Exact Answer: Move the decimal point in 519.3 two places to the left.

1% of 519.3 = 5.193

Estimate: Recall that with front-end rounding, a number is rounded to its larget place value so that all but its first digit is zero.  To estimate 1% of 519.3, we can front-end round 519.3 to 500 and find 1% of 500.  If we move the understood decimal point in 400 two places to the left, we get 5, Thus,

1% of 519.3 ≈ 5 (because 1% of 500 = 5)