5th Grade Math Word Problems: Free Worksheets with Answers ... - Free Printable

Let’s solve each problem step by step, using estimating and rounding as the directions specify.

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Problem 1:

> In Central City, there are 29,791 registered voters and 93 voting centers. Each voting center serves about ______ of the city’s population.

We need to estimate how many voters each center serves:
→ Divide total voters by number of centers:
29,791 ÷ 93

Estimate:
Round 29,791 → 30,000 (nearest thousand)
Round 93 → 90 (nearest ten)

Now divide:
30,000 ÷ 90 = 333.33...

That’s closest to 350 among the options.

But let’s check more precisely:
Actual division: 29,791 ÷ 93 ≈ 320.33

Still, 320 is closer to 300 or 350?
→ 320 is 20 away from 300, 30 away from 350 → so 300 is closer.

Wait — let’s double-check rounding strategy.

Alternative: Round 29,791 to 30,000, 93 to 100 → 30,000 ÷ 100 = 300

That’s a very clean estimate and matches option C) 300

✔ Answer: C) 300

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Problem 2:

> At last night’s football game, there were 51,033 fans. At tonight’s game, there are 44,118 fans. There are about ______ less fans at tonight’s game.

We need to estimate the difference:
51,033 – 44,118

Estimate:
Round 51,033 → 51,000
Round 44,118 → 44,000

Difference: 51,000 – 44,000 = 7,000

Check actual:
51,033 – 44,118 = 6,915 → which is very close to 7,000

✔ Answer: B) 7,000

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Problem 3:

> There are 7,213 applicants for the astronaut program. Only one half of the applicants, which is about ______, will be accepted.

Half of 7,213 → 7,213 ÷ 2 = 3,606.5

Estimate: Round 7,213 to 7,200 → half is 3,600

Options:
A) 3,100
B) 3,250
C) 3,400
D) 3,500

3,600 is closest to 3,500? Wait — 3,600 is actually closer to 3,600, but that’s not an option.

Wait — maybe they expect rounding 7,213 to 7,000 → half is 3,500

Or round to 7,200 → 3,600 → still closest to 3,500 among choices.

Actually, 3,606.5 is only 6.5 away from 3,600, but since 3,600 isn’t an option, and 3,500 is 106.5 away, while 3,400 is 206.5 away — so 3,500 is the best available choice.

Alternatively, perhaps they rounded 7,213 to 7,000 → 3,500.

✔ Answer: D) 3,500

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Problem 4:

> Last year, the largest number of pizza orders in one single month was 6,419. The smallest number was 783. The difference between the largest and smallest order is about…?

Estimate:
Round 6,419 → 6,400
Round 783 → 800

Difference: 6,400 – 800 = 5,600

Actual difference:
6,419 – 783 = 5,636 → very close to 5,600

✔ Answer: A) 5,600

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Problem 5:

> Every month, a baker orders 1,182 pounds of flour. About how many pounds of flour does he order each year?

There are 12 months in a year.

So: 1,182 × 12

Estimate:
Round 1,182 → 1,200
Multiply by 12: 1,200 × 12 = 14,400

Actual:
1,182 × 12 =
= (1,000 × 12) + (182 × 12)
= 12,000 + 2,184 = 14,184

Which is very close to 14,200 or 14,400?

14,184 is closer to 14,200 than 14,400.

But our estimate was 14,400 — which is option D.

Wait — let’s see if we can get a better estimate.

Alternative: Round 1,182 to 1,180 → 1,180 × 12 = ?

1,180 × 10 = 11,800
1,180 × 2 = 2,360
Total = 14,160 → still closest to 14,200

But 14,160 is 160 away from 14,000, 140 away from 14,200? Wait:

14,160 – 14,000 = 160
14,200 – 14,160 = 40 → so 14,200 is much closer.

But our first estimate gave us 14,400.

Perhaps the question expects rounding 1,182 to 1,200 → 14,400.

But actual is 14,184 → which is closer to 14,200

Looking at options:

A) 14,000
B) 14,250
C) 14,400
D) 14,600

14,184 is closest to 14,200, but that’s not an option. Next closest is 14,250 (difference = 66) or 14,000 (difference = 184) → so 14,250 is better.

Wait — 14,184 to 14,250 = 66
14,184 to 14,200 would be 16 — but 14,200 isn’t listed.

Between given options:
- 14,000 → 184 away
- 14,250 → 66 away
- 14,400 → 216 away
- 14,600 → 416 away

So B) 14,250 is closest.

But why did we get 14,400 earlier? Because we rounded up too much.

Better estimate: Round 1,182 to 1,180 → 1,180 × 12 = 14,160 → rounds to 14,200, but since it’s not there, 14,250 is best.

Alternatively, maybe they want you to round 1,182 to 1,200 → 14,400.

But mathematically, 14,184 is closer to 14,250 than to 14,400.

Wait — 14,250 - 14,184 = 66
14,400 - 14,184 = 216 → yes, 66 < 216 → so B) 14,250 is better.

But let’s see what the test expects.

In many standardized tests, they round 1,182 to 1,200 → 1,200 × 12 = 14,400 → so they might expect C) 14,400

However, strictly speaking, 14,250 is numerically closer.

But let’s check the context — this is “estimating and rounding” — so perhaps they want a quick round-up.

Given that 1,182 is closer to 1,200 than to 1,100, and 1,200 × 12 = 14,400 — and that’s an option — and many teachers teach to round to nearest hundred — I think C) 14,400 is the intended answer.

But to be precise, actual value is 14,184 → which is closer to 14,200, then to 14,250.

Since 14,200 isn't an option, and 14,250 is only 66 away, while 14,400 is 216 away — I think B) 14,250 is correct.

Wait — let me recalculate:

1,182 × 12:

Breakdown:
1,000 × 12 = 12,000
180 × 12 = 2,160
2 × 12 = 24
Total = 12,000 + 2,160 = 14,160 + 24 = 14,184

Yes.

Now:

- 14,184 – 14,000 = 184
- 14,250 – 14,184 = 66
- 14,400 – 14,184 = 216
- 14,600 – 14,184 = 416

So B) 14,250 is the closest.

✔ Answer: B) 14,250

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## ✔ Final Answers:

1. C) 300
2. B) 7,000
3. D) 3,500
4. A) 5,600
5. B) 14,250

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Let me know if you’d like to see the work written out neatly!