A three-page Year 4 estimation sheet, with an answer key on page 3. Page 1 shows one worked example, 387 + 211 is about 400 + 200 = 600, then a table of eight additions and subtractions. Pupils round to the nearest 100 for an estimate and work out the exact answer. Page 2 has two word problems, about apples and library books, each asking for an estimate and then whether the exact answer is more or less. It follows England National Curriculum Year 4 calculation.
Number - addition and subtraction
“estimate and use inverse operations to check answers to a calculation”
Pupils estimate each of the eight calculations first, then compare with the exact answer, and in the word problems say whether it is more or less than the estimate.
Number - number and place value
“round any number to the nearest 10, 100 or 1000”
Every estimate needs rounding to the nearest 100, including 1,198 to 1,200 and 2,104 to 2,100.
An example box, then a table of eight calculations from 387 + 211 to 2,104 + 795. Row a is filled in, and pupils complete rows b to h.
A shop sells 389 apples on Monday and 412 on Tuesday. A school library has 951 books and pupils borrow 248 on Friday. Each problem asks for an estimate, the exact answer and whether it is more or less.
The full table with each estimate sum, such as 1,000 - 200 = 800 for 951 - 248, and the four word-problem answers.
Estimate first
Ask pupils to fill the whole estimate column before they touch the exact column. It stops them rounding to match an answer they already have.
Close or not
After marking, ask which estimate was furthest out. Row g is the answer: 951 rounds up to 1,000 and 248 rounds down to 200, so the estimate of 800 is 97 away from 703.
Plenary
The two word problems end differently, with 801 above its estimate of 800 and 703 below it. Ask pupils to say why.
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