Round to the nearest tenth calculator

What is rounding to the nearest tenth?

Rounding to the nearest tenth means keeping just one digit after the decimal point and adjusting that digit based on the value immediately to its right. The tenths place is the first position after the decimal point — in the number $3.14159$ the tenths digit is the $1$.

This calculator takes any number you enter and returns the closest value that has exactly one decimal place.

How does it work?

Look at the digit in the hundredths place (the second digit after the decimal point):

• If it is $5$ or greater, round the tenths digit up by one.
• If it is $4$ or less, leave the tenths digit unchanged (round down).

Everything after the tenths place is then dropped.

Formula

Rounding to the nearest tenth is the same as multiplying by ten, rounding to the nearest whole number, and dividing by ten again:

Here $\operatorname{round}$ is the standard round-half-up rule.

Worked examples

Example 1: a long decimal

For $x = 3.14159$:

The hundredths digit is $4$, so the tenths digit stays at $1$.

Example 2: rounding up on a five

For $x = 2.75$:

The hundredths digit is $5$, so the tenths digit rises from $7$ to $8$.

Example 3: a negative number

For $x = -1.24$:

The hundredths digit is $4$, so the tenths digit is unchanged.

Reference table

Notes

• A whole number or a number that already has one decimal place is returned unchanged.
• The “round half up” convention sends exact halves (a hundredths digit of $5$ with nothing smaller after it) away from zero, so $2.75$ becomes $2.8$ and $-2.75$ becomes $-2.8$.
• To round to a coarser place value instead, use the round to the nearest ten calculator, or the general rounding calculator for hundredths, thousandths, and beyond.

FAQ

What is 3.14159 rounded to the nearest tenth?

It is $3.1$. The tenths digit is $1$ and the next digit ($4$) is less than $5$, so it stays put.

Why does 2.75 round to 2.8 and not 2.7?

The digit after the tenths place is $5$. Under the standard round-half-up rule, a $5$ pushes the tenths digit up, turning $2.75$ into $2.8$.

How do I round a negative number to the nearest tenth?

Round its size the usual way and keep the minus sign. For $-1.24$ the size $1.24$ rounds to $1.2$, so the answer is $-1.2$.