Estimation is the process of making an educated guess about a quantity or value when you don't need or can't get an exact answer. When you estimate, you use logic and available information to get close to the right answer without measuring or calculating precisely.

In math class, you might estimate that 48 times 22 is around 1,000 by rounding both numbers to 50 and 20, then multiplying those simpler numbers. That gives you a quick sense of the answer's size without doing the full calculation. In everyday life, you might estimate how long it will take to walk to a friend's house, or estimate whether you have enough money to buy lunch.

Good estimation requires judgment and experience. A carpenter estimates how much wood she'll need for a project. A chef estimates cooking times. A reader estimates whether she can finish a chapter before bedtime. The more you practice estimating, the better you get at it.

An estimate (noun) is the result of estimation: “My estimate is that we'll need two hours to finish this puzzle.” People who are skilled at estimation develop what's sometimes called “number sense,” or intuition about quantities, which helps them make smart decisions quickly without needing perfect information every time.