Thursday 6th January 2022

BASIC OPERATIONS ON DECIMALS

A decimal is a number in base 10 which can be easily seen by expressing a number in

expanded form, for example:

5381 = 5000 + 300 + 80 + 1 (separate the number into TH, H, T, U)

5381 = (5 × 1000) + (3 × 100) + (8 × 10) + (1 × 1)

5381 = (5 × 103) + (3 × 102) + (8 × 101) + (1 × 100) (express 10 in index form)

Since 5381 can be expressed in increasing powers of 10, it is a decimal. All decimal numbers
have a decimal point. The decimal point for whole numbers is located at the end of the number,
for example:

5381 = 5381.

decimal point

PLACE VALUE AFTER THE DECIMAL POINT:

All values after the decimal point are written as a fraction with a denominator the powers of 10.
For example,

PLACE VALUE VALUE OF DIGIT

NUMBER
(of the digit in red) (in red)

5.137 Units 5

𝟏
5.137 Tenths
𝟏𝟎
𝟑
5.137 Hundredths
𝟏𝟎𝟎
𝟕
5.137 Thousandths
𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎
ADDITION & SUBTRACTION OF DECIMALS:

To add or subtract two or more decimals, ensure the decimal points line up and insert zeros as
place holders where necessary.

Example 1: Calculate without the use of calculators

(a) 1.3 + 4.6 (b) 5.99 – 3.43 (c) 4.2 + 0.34 + 1.6
(d) 12.038 – 7.259 (e) 33 – 0.08 (f) 5 + 0.08 – 2.79

Solution:

(a) 1.3 (b) 5.99 (c) 4.20

+ 4.6 – 3.43 0.34 (Insert zeros as
+ 1.60 place holders)
5.9 2.56
6.14 11

11 9 12 2 9
(d) 12.10 13 18 (e) 3 3.10 10 (f) 5.00
– 07. 2 5 9 – 0 0. 0 8 + 0.08
4. 7 7 9 3 2. 9 2 5.08

4 9
5. 10 18
– 2. 7 9
2. 2 9

MULTIPLIYING DECIMALS:

The process is similar to multiplying whole numbers. The only difference is where to put the
decimal point in the answer.

Example 2: Calculate without the use of calculators

(a) 2.1 × 3 (b) 0.3 × 0.04 (c) 1.2 × 1.3

(d) 3.8 × 10 (e) 12.4 × 100 (f) 20.1 × 4.5

Solution:

(a) 21 × 3 = 63, but since the product 2.1 × 3 has one decimal place (1 d.p) the answer will
also have 1 d.p :
⟹ 2.1 × 3 = 6.3

(b) 0.3 has 1 d.p and 0.04 has 2 d.p’s, therefore between the two numbers there are 3 d.p’s.
First calculate 3 × 4 which is 12. The answer will have 3 d.p’s:

⟹ 0.3 × 0.04 = 0.012

(c) 12 × 13 = 156, since 1.2 has 1 d.p and 1.3 also has 1 d.p the answer will have 2 d.p’s.
Therefore, 1.2 × 1.3 = 1.56

(d) When multiplying a number by 10, move the decimal point one place to the right:
⟹ 3.8 × 10 = 38

(e) When multiplying a number by 100, move the decimal point two places to the right:
⟹ 12.4 × 100 = 1240

(f) 201 × 45 = 9045

⟹ 20.1 × 4.5 = 90.45 (2 d.p’s)

Example 3: If 253 × 48.7 = 12321.1 determine

(a) 2.53 × 4870
(b) 0.253 × 4.87

Solution:

(a) 2.53 × 4870 = 2.53 × 487 × 10 (4870 = 487 × 10)

2.53 × 487 × 10 = 2.53 × 10 × 487 (multiplication is commutative)

2.53 × 10 × 487 = 25.3 × 487 (multiplying by 10 moves the point on place

to the right)

25.3 × 487 = 12321.1 (answer has 1 d.p since 25.3 has 1 d.p)

(b) 0.253 × 4.87, 0.253 has 3 d.p’s and 4.87 has 2 d.p’s therefore the answer will have 5
d.p’s:

⟹ 0.253 × 4.87 = 1.23211