Estimating to Check Calculations

Year 6 MathsFour Operations2 pages

About this worksheet

One page of 42 estimation questions for Year 6, with an answer page. Pupils round the numbers to estimate sums, differences, products and quotients, from 48 + 31 up to 5,920 ÷ 29, plus decimals such as 6.1 × 7.9. They then use estimates to judge eight finished calculations, four of which are wrong. The last items ask how many coaches, paint tins and metres of fencing are sensible. The answers give every rounded calculation, and the sheet matches the England National Curriculum objective on estimating and degree of accuracy.

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Estimating to Check Calculations: Four Operations - page 1
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Curriculum objectives covered

Number - addition, subtraction, multiplication and division

“Use estimation to check answers to calculations and determine, in the context of a problem, an appropriate degree of accuracy”

Questions 31 to 38 check answers by estimating, and questions 39 to 41 ask for a sensible whole number to book or buy.

Number - number and place value

“Round any whole number to a required degree of accuracy”

Questions 1 to 19 round numbers such as 489 and 3,890 before calculating.

What's inside this worksheet

Warm Up: Round and Estimate

Fifteen whole-number calculations, such as 39 × 4, 788 − 312 and 358 ÷ 9, for pupils to round and estimate.

Level Up: Larger Numbers and Decimals

Twelve harder estimates with four-digit numbers and decimals, then three missing numbers like 29 × ___ ≈ 1,200.

Beat the Clock

Pupils mark eight completed calculations as sensible or not. Four are wrong, including 62 × 38 = 5,856 and 4.9 × 6.1 = 298.9. Four short items follow on coaches, paint, fencing and a shopping total.

Answers

Every estimate with its rounded calculation. The missing-number items accept a range, for example 38 to 42.

How teachers use it

Before written methods

Use the Warm Up before a long multiplication lesson. Pupils who have already estimated 42 × 48 as 2,000 notice their own slips sooner.

Error hunt

Put questions 31 to 38 on the board and give pairs one minute to find the four wrong answers without working any of them out in full.

Sensible accuracy

Discuss questions 39 to 41 together. Ask why 6.3 coaches becomes 7, then ask what changes if the question is about full coaches.

More Year 6 Maths worksheets

Place ValueFractions, Decimals and PercentagesRatio and ProportionAlgebraMeasurementGeometryStatistics

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