Dividing Decimals

How to Divide Decimals

First, are you dividing by a whole number (1,2,3, etc) or not?

In other words, just follow these steps:

• Step 1: If not dividing by a whole number, then multiply both numbers by 10 (or 100, or 1000, etc) so that you are dividing by a whole number
• Step 2: Ignore the decimal point and use Long Division  to find the answer
• Step 3: Then put the decimal point in the answer, directly above the decimal point in the dividend (the number being divided).

Example 1: Divide 9.1 by 7

Step1: You are dividing by a whole number, so go straight to step 2.

Step 2: Ignore the decimal point and use Long Division:

Step 3: Put the decimal point in the answer directly above the decimal point in the dividend:

The answer is 1.3

Example 2: Divide 5.39 by 1.1

Step1: You are not dividing by a whole number, so you need to multiply both numbers by 10 so that you are dividing by a whole number:

(Hint: you can just shift the decimal points of both instead of multiplying them by 10, 100, etc)

You are now dividing by a whole number, so you can proceed as before:

Step 2: Ignore the decimal point and use Long Division:

Step 3: Put the decimal point in the answer directly above the decimal point in the dividend:

The answer is 4.9

Lastly ...

As a final check you can put your "common sense" hat on and think "is that the right size?", because you don't want to pay ten times too much for anything, nor do you want to get only one-tenth of what you need!