DECIMALS

COMMON MISTAKES

1 10/20/2009
Fractions -Adding or Subtracting

How to Add or Subtract Common Mistakes

Decimals
 To add or subtract decimal  Not aligning the decimal
numbers, you must align the point.
 Incorrect 7.01 7.01
decimal point. or
+ 6.3 + 6.3
76.4 7.64

 Correct 7.01
+ 6.30
13.31
Note:
Add a 0 to align the decimal.

2 Complete Manual: ..\Decimal Number Review.docx 10/20/2009

To view; right click and open the hyperlink
Decimals - Multiplying
How to Multiply Decimals Common Mistakes
 Not counting the correct
 To multiply decimals,
number of decimal places.
multiply the numbers as
 Counting from left to right.
you would any pair of
 Not placing a decimal at all.
numbers.
 Incorrect: 1.25 or 1.25
 Place the decimal point in × 3.2
× 3.2

the final answer according 250

375
250
375
to the total number of 4000 400.0

decimal places to the right  Correct:

1.25 ←2 digits
of the decimal point. × 3.2 ←1 digit
250 ←Total 3 digits
375
4.000 ←Count 3 digits from
right to left to place
3 Complete Manual: ..\Decimal Number Review.docx
To view; right click and open the hyperlink
decimal point.
Decimals - Dividing
How to Divide Decimals Common Mistakes
 To divide decimals, the divisor  Not moving the decimal point the
must contain no decimals. correct number of places or at all on
 Move the decimal point to the
either the divisor or dividend or both.
right until divisor is a whole  Incorrect: Correct:
number.
Divide 117.525 by 2.5 Divide 117.525 by 2.5
 Move the decimal point on the 4.701 47.01

dividend by the same number of

2.5 117.525 25 1175.25
100 100
places as the divisor. 175 175
175 175
02 02
dividend ÷ divisor 0 0
25 25
divisor dividend 25 25
0 0
Note: The decimal was moved one place to
the right in both the divisor and dividend.
4 Complete Manual: ..\Decimal Number Review.docx
To view; right click and open the hyperlink
Decimals – Change Decimals to Fractions

How to Change Decimals Common Mistakes

to Fractions  Setting the denominator by the
 To change a decimal to a fraction, wrong number.
write the decimal without the  Incorrect:
decimal point. Change 0.05 to a fraction.
 This number is the numerator of 0.05 ≠
5
the fraction. 10
Mistake : Setting denominator to 10 since
 The denominator will be 10, 100, 5 is one digit.
1000, etc. depending on the
number of decimal places of the
 Correct:
original decimal number. Change 0.05 to a fraction.
 One decimal place corresponds to 5 1
0.05 = =
10, two decimal places 100 20
corresponds to 100, etc. Must set denominator to 100 since original
decimal has two decimal places.
5 Complete Manual: ..\Decimal Number Review.docx
To view; right click and open the hyperlink