Addition

To add decimals, write the numbers vertically with the decimal points
directly under each other, then add the digits.
Note: When the decimal points are lined up, the digits are
automatically lined up in the correct place value.
Example:
13.2 + 1.57 Write the problem vertically. Line up the decimal
points.
13.20 Note the additional zero. Adding zeros to the right
+ 1.57 of the final digit after the decimal does not change
14.77 the value of the number.

Example: Dollar values are the most familiar decimal values.

$437 + $41.56 + $0.18
Write the problem vertically. Line up the decimal
$437.00 points.
41.56
+ 0.18 The additional zeros are optional, but help with
$478.74 placement. Note dollar sign use.
Find the Sum (Add):
1) 0.03 + 0.4 6) 48 + 0.84

2) 0.3 + 0.03 + 0.003 7) 10 + 9.6 + 3.76 + 8.451

3) 2.05 + 0.561 + 43.9 + 17.32 8) $3.06 + $2.13 + $4.89

4) $4 + $14.01 9) 2,134.07 + 306.5 + 2.109

5) 8.0632 + 0.234 + 0.81 + 0.064 10) 56.3701 + 0.268 + 4.2

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 Subtraction
To subtract decimals, write the numbers vertically with decimal points
directly under each other, and add zeros when needed, then subtract the
digits.
Note: When the decimal points are lined up, the digits are automatically
lined up in the correct place value.

Example:
42.63 - 18.275 Write the problem vertically. Line up the decimals.

42.630 Remember: always write the first number on the top.

- 18.275 Add zeros to the number with fewer places to the right of the
24.355 decimal point. Subtract.

Example:
$23 - $0.13 Write the problem vertically. Line up the decimals.

$23.00 Insert the decimal point and two zeros.

- 0.13
$22.87 Subtract; borrow if necessary.
Find the Difference (Subtract):
1) 8.4 - 7.35 5) 4.355 - 1.647

2) 12.5 - 8.7 6) 60.54 - 0.928

3) $17.50 - $6.25 7) 89. - 58.46

4) $18 - $5.63 8) 104.003 - 21.78

Find the Sum and Difference as indicated, (in the order indicated):
9) 14.6 - 1.98 + 3.7 11) 0.19 + 2.34 - 1.003

10) 5.67 + 0.34 - 2.05 12) $21.90 - $0.45 - $ 2.34

15
 Multiplication
To multiply decimals, write the problem and multiply as you would a
whole number multiplication problem. The product (answer) of two
decimal numbers has the same number of decimal places after the
decimal point as the total number of decimal places in the two numbers
being multiplied.
Example:
0.19 x 0.4 Write vertically. (The decimal points do not have to line
up.)
0.19
x 0.4 2 decimal places (Decimal points not lined up.)
0.076 + 1 decimal place
3 decimal places
Count from right to left; add a zero before the decimal
Example: point.
708
x 0.32
1416 0 decimal places (Decimal points not lined up.)
21240 + 2 decimal places
226.56 2 decimal places

Count from right to left to place decimal point.

Find the Product (multiply):

1) 0.32 4) 5.048 7) 0.075

x 0.6 x 2.03 x 5.4

2) 1.9 5) 0.15 8) 99
x 0.05 x 0.15 x 1.1

3) 400 6) 2.4 9) 2.029

x 0.17 x .013 x 10.8

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 Multiplication by Multiples of 10
To multiply by a multiple of ten, move the decimal point RIGHT as many
places as there are zeros in the multiplier.
Example:
24.6 x 10 There is one zero in the multiplier (10); therefore, the
= 246.0 decimal point moves right one place.

Example:
0.048 7 x 1000 There are three zeros in the multiplier (1000); therefore,
= 48.7 the decimal point movers right three places.

Example: There are two zeros in the multiplier, (100); therefore, the
24.6_ x 100 decimal point moves right two places. Note the
= 2,460.0 additional zeros.

Multiply:

1) 4.83 x 10 = 7) 35.961 x 100 =

2) 83.5 x 1000 = 8) 82.6 x 1000 =

3) 90.2 x 100 = 9) 7.007 x 100 =

4) 10.37 x 10 = 10) 72.953 x 10 =

5) 0.76 x 1000 = 11) 0.987 x 1000 =

6) 0.08 x 10 = 12) 476.098 x 10,000 =

17
 Division by Multiples of 10
To divide by a multiple of ten, (10; 100; 1,000; etc.), move the decimal
point to the LEFT as many places as there are zeros in the divisor.

Example: There is one zero in the divisor (10), therefore the

7 8.2 ÷ 10 = decimal point moves left one place.
= 7.82

Example: There are three zeros in the divisor (1000), therefore

_ _ _0.32 ÷ 1000 the decimal point moves left three places.
= 0.00032 Note the additional zeros.

Divide:

1) 82.5 ÷ 100 = 6) 78.567 ÷ 10 =

2) 923.8 ÷ 1000 = 7) 54.87 ÷ 1000 =

3) 0.754 ÷ 10 = 8) 20.35 ÷ 10 =

4) 0.845 ÷ 100 = 9) 540.8 ÷ 100 =

5) 63.8 ÷ 100 = 10) 6200 ÷ 10,000 =

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 Division by Whole Numbers
To divide a decimal by a whole number, place the decimal point in the
quotient directly above the decimal point in the dividend to ensure the
correct place value. Divide as with whole numbers.
Example:
.
5.5 ÷ 5 = 5 5.5 Write the problem with a "division house," placing the
quotient's (answer's) decimal point directly over the
1 .1 decimal point of the dividend.
5 5 .5
5
5
5
0
Example:
A fraction is another way to express a division problem.
. The divisor is the denominator and the dividend is the
22 . 5 numerator.
= 3 22.5
3

7 .5 Write the problem with a "division house," placing the

3 22 . 5 quotient's (answer's) decimal point directly over the
21___ decimal point of the dividend.
15
15
0
Divide:
1) 1 .8 ÷ 6 = 4) 0 . 264 ÷ 4 = 7) 0 . 32 ÷ 5 =

2) 0 . 84 5) 3.96 8) 34 . 5
5
4 9

3) 0.096 6) 0.016 ÷ 2 = 9) 1.49

8 2

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 Division by Decimals
In division, the divisor must be a whole number. To convert a decimal
divisor to a whole number, multiply the divisor and the dividend by a
multiple of ten. Then divide as usual.
Example:
4.9 ÷ 0.7 The divisor (0.7) has one decimal place. To
(4.9 x 10) ÷ (0.7 x 10) change the divisor to a whole number, multiply
49 ÷ 7 = 7 the divisor and the dividend by 10.
Divide as usual.
Example:
8.505 100 850.5
x = The divisor (0.05) has two decimal places. To
0.05 100 5 change the divisor to a whole number, multiply
the divisor and the dividend by 100.
170.1
5 850.5
5 Divide as usual. Place the decimal point for the
35 quotient (170.1) directly above the decimal point in
35 the dividend (850.5)
00 5
5
0

Divide:
1) 574.0 ÷ 0.7 4) 35.1 ÷ 2.7 7) 82.8 ÷ 0.03

2) 0.4 6.988 5) 2.4 77.04 8) 0.41 205

3) 0.0144 6) 0.132 9) 0.6832

1.2 0.011 0.004

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Converting Fractions to Terminating Decimals
To convert a fraction to a decimal, divide. Some fractions will convert
to a decimal representation with a remainder of zero, called a
terminating decimal.
Example:
Convert to a Decimal
0 .25
3
= 12 3 .00 Divide 3 by 12.
12 24
60
The decimal equivalent to three twelfths is twenty-
60
0 five hundredths.
3
= 0.25
12
Example:
The whole number portion of the number will remain
Convert to a Decimal
the same. The fraction will convert to a decimal.
0.20
5
11 = 11 + 25 5.00
25 50
Divide 5 by 25.
0

11
5
= 11.20
The decimal equivalent to eleven and five twenty-
25 fifths is eleven and two tenths.

Convert to a Decimal:
1) 9 6) 19
18 40

2) 15 7) 48
30 32

3) 6 8) 5
2
16 20

4) 9 9) 77
7
20 40

5) 13 10) 47
37
50 50

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 Converting to Repeating Decimals
To convert a fraction to a decimal, divide. Some fractions will convert to a
decimal representation with pattern, called a repeating decimal.
Example:
0.666...
2
= 3 2.000... Divide two by three. Note that the remainder will
3 18 continue to be two; therefore, the decimal answer is a
20 repeating decimal.
20
20
0.666... = 0.6 Repeating decimals are written with a bar over the
repeating digits in the pattern.
Example:
3 . 0909 ...
34
= 11 34 . 0000 ... Divide 34 by 11. Since 11 does not divide 10, there is a
11 33
100
need to bring down an additional zero. Note that there is
99 a portion of the quotient that does not repeat.
100
99
1
3.0909... = 3.09 The bar indicates that only the 09 repeats.

Convert:
1) 1 6) 1
1
11 3

2) 1 7) 8
1
33 6

3) 4 8) 7
9 33

4) 1 9) 7
3 42

5) 3 10) 4
2
22 3

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 Converting Decimals to Fractions
To convert a terminating decimal to a fraction, write the decimal with the place
value multiple of ten as a denominator and reduce to simplest terms.
Example:
3.2 = 3
2 The decimal fraction portion of the number terminates in the
10 tenths place; therefore the denominator will be 10.
2 1 This fraction is not in lowest terms, therefore must be
3 =3
10 5 reduced. Divide numerator and denominator by 2.

To convert a repeating decimal to a fraction, use a value of 9 as the

denominator.
Example:
3.09 = 3
9 The repeating pattern ends in the hundredths place,
99 therefore the denominator will have two nines, or be 99.

9 1 This fraction is not in lowest terms, therefore must be

3 =3
99 11 reduced. Divide numerator and denominator by 9

Convert:

1) 7.85 6) 34.0102

2) 10.3 7) 7.7

3) 2.08 8) 10.425

4) 0.45 9) 0.006

5) 0.360 10)
2.360

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 Word Problems
To solve a word problem, read the problem and express what you are trying to
learn in your own words. Identify the operation to be used, (addition,
subtraction, multiplication, or division). Translate the problem from words to
math symbols, (i.e. write an equation). Solve the equation.
Example:
Carlos bought one pair of shoes for $19.95, two neckties for $3.95 each, three
pairs of socks for $1.25 a pair, and one suit for $89.95. What was the total
cost?

Trying to learn total Total cost usually implies addition.

cost of the items.
$ 19.95 One pair of shoes
7.90 3.95 x 2 Two neckties
3.75 1.25 x 3 Three pair of socks
+ 89.95 One suit
$121.55 Add with decimal points lined up.

Example:
Nora made 18 equal monthly payments on her new stereo set. If the total cost
of the set was $355.00, what was her monthly payment? (Round off to the
nearest cent.)

Trying to learn Nora's Total and number of months are given. Division is
monthly payment. implied

$355.00 ÷ 18
19.72 Total divided by number of months gives each
month's payment. The answer must be to the nearest
18 355.00 cent; that is rounded to the hundredths place.
18
175
162 Divisor is a whole number.
130
126
40
36 To continue the division, another zero may be added.
4 However, the next digit in the quotient will be a 2 and
by the rules of rounding, will not effect the current
The monthly payment quotient.
is $19.72.
Solve the following.
1) The $146.35 cost of a party was shared by 10 people. How much did each
person have to pay? (Be sure to round your answer to the nearest cent.)

2) 537 people attended a $100 dollar a plate fund raising dinner for the NSCC
Foundation. How much money did this dinner raise?

3) At the beginning of the month, Jim's bank balance was $275.38. During the
month he wrote the following checks: $174.89, $68, and $57.76. He made
deposits of $250 and $350. Find his bank balance at the end of the month.

4) Rudy drove his car 9,600 miles last year. His total car expenses were $625
for the year. Find the average cost per mile. (Round off your answer to the
nearest hundredth)

25
5) A garden is 33.75 feet long and 21.6 feet wide. Draw a diagram of the
garden with the lengths written on all four sides. What is the total
distance around the garden?

6) A car traveled at 50 miles an hour for 2.5 hours. How far did it go?

7) A can of ham weighing 7.75 pounds costs $ 11.86. What does the ham
cost per pound? (Round to the nearest cent.)

8) A park is 4.6 miles long and 2.7 miles wide.

a. What is the total distance around the park?
b. If a racecar drove 50 times around the park, how far will it have to
go?

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