Math 6A (Periods 1 & 2)

Dividing Decimals 3-9

According to our textbook-
In using the division process to divide a decimal by a counting number, place the decimal point in the quotient directly over the decimal point in the dividend.

Check out our textbook for some examples!!

When a division does not terminate-- or does not come out evenly-- we usually round to a specified number of decimal places. This is done by adding zeros to the end of the dividend, which as you know, does NOT change the value of the decimal. We then divide ONE place beyond the specified number of places.

Divide 2.745 by 8 to the nearest thousandths.
See the set up in our textbook on page 89. Notice that they have added a zero and the end of the dividend ( 2.745 becomes 2.7450) because you want to round to the thousandths and we need to go ONE place additional.
DIVIDE carefully!!

the quotient is 0.3431 which rounds to 0.343


To divide one decimal by another

Multiply the dividend and the divisor by a power of ten that makes the DIVISOR a counting number


Divide the new dividend by the new divisor

Check by multiplying the quotient and the divisor.