How to Divide Decimals Definitions and Examples
Introduction
Dividing decimals is a concept that can often be difficult for students to grasp. In this blog post, we will explore the definition of decimals and provide some examples to help illustrate the concept. A decimal is a number that represents a fraction of 100. It is written using a decimal point, which is a period that separates the whole number part from the fractional part. The whole number part is everything to the left of the decimal point, while the fractional part is everything to the right of the decimal point. For example, in the decimal 0.75, the whole number part is 0 and the fractional part is 75. This means that 0.75 is equal to 75/100, or 3/4.
What is a Decimal?
A decimal is a number that is expressed as a fraction of a whole number. Decimals are used to express numbers that are not whole numbers, such as 3.14 or 0.001. Decimals can be expressed in two ways:
As a decimal point: 3.14
As a fraction: 314/1000
Decimals can be written using either the decimal point or the fraction bar. In the decimal point form, the decimal point separates the whole number part from the fractional part. In the fraction bar form, the fraction bar separates the numerator (the number above the bar) from the denominator (the number below the bar).
Dividing Decimals
When it comes to decimal division, there are a few different things you need to keep in mind. First, you need to make sure that the decimal point is in the correct place. For example, if you’re dividing 10 by 3, the answer would be 3.33 with the decimal point in the correct spot. However, if you incorrectly place the decimal point and divide 10 by 3, the answer would be 0.033, which is incorrect.
Another thing to keep in mind when dividing decimals is what happens when you divide a number by a power of ten. For example, if you divide 10 by 100, the answer would be 0.1 because you’re essentially just moving the decimal point two spaces to the left since 100 is 10^2. This can be helpful to know if you’re ever stuck on a division problem and need to simplify it.
Last but not least, always remember that when dealing with decimals, accuracy is key. This means that when rounding your answer, you need to be careful not to round up or down too much as this could change your final answer significantly. With all of these things in mind, let’s take a look at some examples of decimal division so that you can get a better understanding of how it works.
How to Divide Decimals?
When you divide decimals, the process is similar to division with whole numbers. The biggest difference is that you need to pay attention to the decimal point. In order to divide decimals, follow these steps:
1) line up the decimal points in both the dividend and divisor directly above each other;
2) divide as usual, paying attention to the decimal point;
3) if there is a remainder, bring down the next digit from the dividend and continue dividing until there are no more digits left in the dividend;
4) place the decimal point in the quotient directly above where the decimal points were lined up in Step 1.
For example, let’s say we want to divide 3.4 by 2. To do this, we would line up the decimal points as follows:
3.4
2.0
and then divide as normal, paying attention to where the decimal point goes in the quotient:
3 4|2.0 —> 1 7|0.8 —> 8|0.04 —> 04|0 (remainder)
-2 quotient quotient quotient final answer = 1.704
Dividing Decimals by Whole Numbers
To divide a decimal by a whole number, simply divide as if the decimal wasn’t there. For example, to divide 7.5 by 3, one would solve 7 divided by 3 which is 2 with a remainder of 1. Therefore, the answer would be 2.5 with a remainder of .1 (one tenth).
Dividing Decimals by Decimals
When you divide decimals, the process is very similar to division of whole numbers. The only exception is that you need to keep track of the decimal places. In order to divide decimals, you will need to move the decimal point in both the dividend and the divisor until there are no decimal places left in either number. Then, divide as usual and move the decimal point in the quotient back the same number of places as you moved it in the dividend and divisor.
To help illustrate this concept, let’s look at an example:
Say we want to divide 3.456 by 2.5:
First, we move the decimal points so there are no decimals in either number. In other words, we multiply both numbers by 10 so that they become 34.56 and 25:
34.56 ÷ 25 = 1.382
Now we move the decimal point back two spaces (the same number of spaces that we moved it originally) to get our final answer, which would be 0.01382.
Important Tips on Dividing Decimals
It is important to know how to divide decimals when working with numbers in the real world. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when dividing decimals:
-Line up the decimal points of the two numbers you are dividing. This will ensure that you are dividing the correct number of decimal places.
-If one of the numbers you are dividing does not have a decimal point, simply add a decimal point at the end of the number.
-Once you have lined up the decimal points, divide the numbers as you would whole numbers.
-Remember to include the decimal point in your answer!
Examples of Dividing Decimals
To divide decimals, first look at the division problem and identify the decimal point. This is the point where you will insert your answer’s decimal point. For example, in the problem 4.32 divided by 6, there is a decimal point after the 4 and another after the 3 in the quotient, so our answer will have a decimal point inserted between the 2 and the 5.
Now that we know where to place our decimal point in the answer, we can begin solving the problem like any other division problem. However, because there is a decimal in either the dividend or divisor (or both), we need to move all of the decimals to the right side of their respective whole numbers until there are none left. In our example problem, this would give us 432 divided by 6.
Once all of the decimals have been moved to the right, solving for our quotient is a simple matter of long division. Don’t forget to include the decimal point in your final answer! In our example problem, this gives us an answer of 72.
Conclusion
Learning how to divide decimals is a crucial skill for anyone who wants to be successful in math. This article has provided you with a definition of what decimals are, as well as some examples of how to divide them. With this knowledge under your belt, you’ll be able to approach decimal division problems with confidence. Remember, practice makes perfect! So take out your pencil and paper and get started on those division problems.