Final answer:
To round 117.456 kilometers to the nearest tenth, we look at the hundredths place. Since it is 5, the tenths digit (4) rounds up to 5, making the distance 117.5 kilometers.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student has asked to round the driving distance between Buffalo, NY, and Rochester, NY, which is 117.456 kilometers, to the nearest tenth of a kilometer. When rounding to the nearest tenth, we look at the hundredths place to decide whether the tenths place stays the same or rounds up. The hundredths digit is a 5, so according to rounding rules, the tenths place (which is a 4) will round up to 5. Therefore, the distance rounded to the nearest tenth of a kilometer is 117.5 kilometers.
To round numbers, remember these simple steps:
- Identify the digit that is in the place to which you are rounding.
- Look at the digit immediately to the right.
- If that digit is 5 or more, round the target digit up. If it's less than 5, leave the target digit as it is.
Following these steps, we determine that the correct answer to the student's question is: 117.5 kilometers (a).