Expert: Lynn Houston - 2/4/2009

Question
ok, can you show me the steps in solving this 2 problems.
#1-0.27 divided by 1.2=
#2--45 divided by 0.01=


Answer
for long division, you need a whole number divisor.  In order to do that, move the decimal in both numbers equally.  So the first problem would be 2.7 divided by 12.  For the second one, there are not enough digits in 45 in order to move the decimal 2 places, so you need to add zeros.  That one would be 4500 divided by 1 (or just 4500).

The second problem is a good example to see that when you're moving the decimal to the right, you're multiplying by 10 for each digit you move it.  As long as you're doing it to both numbers, it doesn't change your answer.