Divide Decimals
Dividing decimals can be a bit trickier than dividing whole numbers. But if you know how to master a few tricks, you'll be able to divide decimals in no time. If you want to know how to do it, just follow these steps.
Steps
- Write the problem with a division box. The first thing you should do is to write the problem with a division box, so that the dividend, or the number that you're dividing by another number, is inside the division bar, and that the divisor, or the number that you're dividing the number by, is outside the division bar. In this case, the problem is "4.5 รท 0.05" so you can write "0.05" outside the division bar and "4.5" inside the division bar.
- Move the divisor's decimal point the amount of spaces that it would take to make the number whole. For the number 0.05, you'd need to move the decimal point two spaces to the right, so the number becomes 5.
- Move the decimal of the dividend the same amount of spaces as the divisor. Now, move the decimal point in the number 4.5 over to the right two times, so the number becomes 450. You'll need to add an extra zero to make up for the empty space. This doesn't happen every time -- for example, if you needed to move the decimal point in the number 4.25 over two times, it would simply become 425.
- Move the decimal point directly up above the division bar. Move the decimal point that remained after the number 450, so it's directly above the place after the 0.
- Divide as usual. Just finish the division process while taking the decimal point above the division bar into effect. First, since you can't divide 5 by 4, you'll need to move on to divide 5 into the first two digits, 45. 5 happens to go into 45 nine times, so write the number 9 on the division bar, leaving a space for the next number before the decimal point. Then, since you're left with 00 and five goes into those numbers 0 times, write another 0 to the right of the 9 on the division bar. You have your answer -- 90.0, or just 90.
- Check your work. Now that you know that the quotient, or answer, is 90.0. You can check your work by using your calculator to divide 4.5 by .05, which should give you 90 as an answer if the answer is correct (it is). You can also multiply the quotient by the divisor to make sure that you get the dividend, and you do. 90 x .05 =4.5
Tips
- Estimate and multiply to check.
Warnings
- There are no remainders! Instead, add a couple "magic" zeroes after the last digit until you get a remainder of 0.
Things You'll Need
- Paper
- Writing utensil
- Problem
Related Articles
- Do Long Division
- Multiply and Divide Integers
- Divide Fractions by Fractions
