Operations with Decimals
Four basic operations on decimals are addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
Adding Decimals
To add decimals numbers we follow those steps.
Step 1: Write numbers under each other and line up vertically the decimal points.
Step 2: Pad up zeros if the decimals are of different decimal places.
Step 3: Add the numbers as they are in column.
Step 4: Put up the decimal point on the sum.
Example 1: Add the decimals.
Subtracting Decimals
To subtract decimals is the same as adding them, so we follow the same steps.
Step 1: Write numbers under each other and line up vertically the decimal points.
Step 2: Pad up zeros if the decimals are of different decimal places.
Step 3: Subtract the numbers as they are in column.
Step 4: Put up the decimal point on the difference.
Example 2: Subtract the Decimals.
Multiplying Decimals
To multiply decimal numbers we follow the steps.
Step 1: Multiply the numbers as they were whole numbers.
Step 2: Determine how many decimal places have all the numbers that are being multiplied.
Step 3: Put the decimal point on the answer starting from the right and moving as many decimal places have all the numbers that are being multiplied.
Example 3: Multiply the decimals.
Multiplying Decimals by Whole Numbers
Step 1: Assume that the decimal is a whole number and multiply them as whole numbers.
Step 2: Put in the product the same number of decimal points as there are in the decimal number.
Example 4: Multiply:
Dividing Decimals
To divide decimal numbers we follow the steps.
Step 1: Convert the divisor from a decimal number into a whole number by multiplying with 10 as many times as to turn into a whole number.
Step 2: Multiply the divided the same many of times you multiplied the divisor with 10.
Step 3: If the divided is still a decimal number we can ignore the point and do the normal division and put it back later at the quotient, or we can divide the numbers as whole numbers.
Example 5: Divide the decimals.
Dividing decimals with whole numbers
Step 1: Treat the divided as a whole number by ignoring the point.
Step 2: Divide it by the divisor using the regular long division.
Step 3: Insert in the quotient the same number of decimal points as they are in the dividend.
Dividing Whole numbers with decimals
Step 1: Remove the decimal point from the denominator by multiplying with 10 both the denominator and numerator.
Step 2: Perform the operation of division as usual.
