The product is estimated by first rounding each decimal to the nearest whole number.Is 45 a reasonable estimate for 15.02 x 3.15?

Break Down the Problem

1. Round each decimal number to the nearest whole number.
2. Calculate the product of the rounded numbers.
3. Compare the calculated product with the estimate of 45.

Relevant Concepts

• Rounding rules: If the decimal is .5 or greater, round up; if less than .5, round down.
• Basic multiplication for the whole numbers.

Analysis and Detail

1. Round $15.02$:

   • The decimal $15.02$ rounds to $15$ since $0.02 < 0.5$.

2. Round $3.15$:

   • The decimal $3.15$ rounds to $3$ since $0.15 < 0.5$.

3. Calculate the product:

   • Multiply the rounded values: $15 \times 3 = 45$

Verify and Summarize

The rounded product of $15 \times 3$ is exactly $45$, indicating that the estimate of $45$ is reasonable when rounding the original numbers.

Final Answer

Yes, $45$ is a reasonable estimate for $15.02 \times 3.15$.