Orders of magnitude

[fred2028]

So as I understand it, "order of magnitude" is a number that is a power of 10. So say 3200. Its order of magnitude is:

3200 = 3.2 * 10^3
So its order of magnitude is 3.

But what about rounding with orders of magnitude?
Would this be right?

3.2 * 10^3
Since 3.2 is closer to 1 than 10, therefore
1 * 10^3
10^3

So 3200 becomes 1000 when rounded to the nearest order of magnitude. Is this correct?
Are there anything I am missing or should change?
Thanks

 

[arthur ohlsten]

order of magnitude is to nearest integer power of 10

1)
example 1
3200=3.2x10^3
3 x 10^3 order of magnitude 3
closer to 1 x 10^3 then to 1 x 10^4

2)
example 2
9900=9.9x10^3
10x10^3
1x10^4

9900 order of magnitude 4
closer to 1x10^4 then to 1 x 10^3

Arthur