Question

Jim was estimating the total weight of his family. Dad weighed 182 pounds, Mother weighed 128 pounds, Jim weighed 92 pounds, Laura weighed 75 pounds, and Marie weighed 118 pounds. What was their approximate total weight?

Answer 1

The sum of their weights is approximately 600 lbs.

Explanation:

Usually when you are practicing estimating, you round each number, then you can more easily add them up. Calculators may make us feel like we can get an exact answer just as easily. But estimating is very useful. It can help you know if your calculator answer is reasonable. Like for a quick check.

We'll round to the nearest 10 lbs.

Dad-180

Mom-130

Jim-90

Laura- 80

Marie-120

I would group these (180+130)+90 and

80+120 which give us (310)+90 and 200.

=400+200

=600.

Its an estimate. So it is not exact. But its possible to add this up using mental math.