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Number (Intermediate) - Decimals 

Place Value | Adding and Subtracting Decimals | Multiplying Decimals | Division of Decimals | Other Operations
 

Place Value

The figures in a decimal have a value, depending on their place in the number.

The value is given by the following headings:

Headings

Tens

Units

.

Tenths

Hundredths

Number

6

5

.

2

5

The first figure five is five units because it is in the units column.

The second figure five is five hundredths being in the hundredths column.

When working with decimals it is important to keep the figures in the correct columns.

 

Adding and Subtracting Decimals

Rule: keep the points in line and add or subtract in columns.

Example: 6.23 + 17.58 + 0.452

 
6
.23  
 
17
.58    

 +

0
.452  
 
24
.262    

Otherwise, we add in the same way as integers and subtract.

45.37 – 3.76
45.37
   

 -

3.76
 
 
41.61
   

 

Multiplying Decimals

a. Short Multiplication

4.5 x 7 =
4
.5  

 x

 
 7
 

31

.5  

Done in the same way as integers but putting in the decimal point as we reach it.

b. Long Multiplication

4.32 x 5.2

Treat as 432 x 52 = 22464

We do this in the same way as long multiplication of integers. Then put the decimal point in the answer, in the following way.

4.32 has two figures after the point

5.2 has one figure after the point

2+1 = 3, which gives the number of figures after the point in the answer.

22.464

4.32 x 5.2 = 22.464
 

 

Division of Decimals

a. Dividing a decimal by a whole number (an integer)
Done in the same way as dividing integers but keep the decimal point in line in the answer.

Example: 12.45 ÷ 5
= 2.49
 
     long_division_2.49  
   
    ^
 
    Points in line

b. Dividing a decimal by a decimal

6.25
÷
0.5
= 12.5
x 10
  x10
 

We make the 0.5 into a whole number by multiplying by 10. We must also do the same to the 6.25.

62.5 ÷ 5 = 12.5

Rule: To divide by a decimal, we must make it into a whole number by multiplying by 10, 100,……We must multiply the other number by the same amount.

We can deal with remainders: 17 ÷ 4 = 4.25


long_division_4.25   As many zeros as we need can be added after the decimal point and we continue to divide as for whole numbers.


 
Other Operations

Multiplying and dividing decimals by 10, 100,…

5.76 x 10 = 57.6

  165.8 ÷ 10 = 16.58
5.76 x 100 = 576.0   165.8 ÷ 100 = 1.658


Note: we can use a simple rule to describe these results.

The point moves by the same number of places as there are zeros.

It moves to the right for multiplication and to the left for division.

5.76 x 1000 = 5760.0   165.8 ÷ 1000 = 0.1658
(Point moves 3 places to right)   ( Point moves 3 places to left)

Changing a decimal to a fraction

.

tenths

hundredths

0.25

=

0.

2

5

Put the decimal over its last heading:

0.25 = 25/100 = ¼