Decimals

FUNCTIONAL SKILLS UNIT 2

Decimals
Learning Objectives (Unit 2)
Order, approximate and compare decimals
Objectives: Level 2
Write down the place value of a decimal digit such as the value of 3 in
0.63.
Order positive and negative decimals to find the biggest and the
smallest.
 Task
Decimals
Write down the place value of a decimal digit
In the previous unit, we looked at place value for both integers (whole numbers)
and decimals.
1) What is the value of the 8 in 1.899? The
8 is the first digit from the left, meaning it’s
in the tenths column. So, the value is, 0.8 or
eight tenths.
2) What is the value of the 3 in 23.5236?
The 3 is the third digit from the left,
meaning it’s in the thousandths column. So,
the value is 0.003 or 3 thousandths
Decimals
When comparing numbers of any size, you read from the left and look at the value of
each individual digit in its place position. If 2 digits have the same value, you move
along to the next column and compare those digits. To keep the numbers in their place
order, you must always keep the decimal points and figures in their correct columns.
Numbers to the left of the decimal point are whole numbers.
Numbers to the right of the decimal point are decimal fractions.
When comparing decimal numbers you may find it useful to make them all the same
length by adding zeros to help with comparison; these are known as placeholders.
Always put the answer in the same form as the question and double check that you
have put the numbers in the correct order, i.e. largest to smallest or smallest to largest.
Decimals
Examples:
Put the following numbers in order from largest to smallest:
0.12 0.02 0.2 0.07 1.2 2
Rewrite as a list and add zeros Reorder List
.12 2.00
0.02 1.20
0.2 0.20
.07 0.12
1.2 0.07
2 0.02
Answer: 2, 1.2, 0.2, 0.12, 0.07, 0.02
Decimals
When we look at ordering decimals, try and think of the number without a
decimal point. For example 0.001 and 0.0012
The first step would be to put a zero as a placeholder after the 1 in the first
number… 0.0010
If we now get rid of the decimal point the numbers become far more
recognisable… 10 and 12. Once you have organised in the correct order, don’t
forget to put the decimal point back in.
Decimals
Order the following numbers from smallest to largest:
12.105 12.005 12.015 12.10 12.05 12.01
Add zeros where needed
12.105 12.005 12.015 12.100 12.050 12.010
All the integers are 12, so we can ignore them for the moment. Let’s
take the decimal point out.
105 005 015 100 050 010

6 1 3 5 4 2
12.75
12.05
12
12.2
 Task
Decimals
Order positive and negative decimals to
find the biggest and the smallest.
Task 1.
Please write the task number in your
exercise books and complete all questions.
Decimals
At the end of Unit 1, we looked at ‘degree of accuracy’. You should always
round decimals to the degree of accuracy which suits your purpose. For
example, if you divide the length of a piece of wood and the answer is
30.12567cm, you clearly cannot saw a piece of wood to that accuracy, 30.1cm is
the best you can do. If you are an engineer, however, you may be working on
metal parts needing an accuracy of 0.01mm.
If you work out that you need 495g of flour for a recipe, for practical purposes
you would weigh 500g. If you are a chemist, however, you may be working to
an accuracy of 0.01g.
Decimals
Degree of Accuracy
Examples:
What is the area of a room which measures 4.75 metres by 3.7 metres?
4.75 x 3.7 = 17.575. This would be rounded to 1 decimal place as the least precise value, 3.7, has only
one decimal place.
To round a number to 1 decimal place, look at the 2nd decimal place. If this figure is greater than 5, add 1
to the first decimal place.
The area of the room is 17.6 m2
What is 4763.982 x 3542.76596? = 16877673.26365272 The least precise value in the question has
3 decimal places, so the answer would be rounded to 3 decimal places.
To round a number to 3 decimal places, look at the 4th decimal place. If this figure is greater than 5, add 1
to the third decimal place. This gives the answer as 16877673.264 to 3 d.p.
Decimals
Add, subtract, multiply and divide decimals up to three decimal
places.
Objectives: L2 N10
Add and subtract decimals up to three decimal places using
calculator and non-calculator methods.
Check the answers to calculations that involve decimals through
use of estimation and approximation.
Decimals
Add and subtract decimals up to three 3 7 ▪ 8 7 2
decimal places using calculator and non- 1 ▪ 0 6
calculator methods. 4 ▪ 0 0 1
4 ▪ 3
To add or subtract decimals, write down the numbers in
columns with the decimal points lined up then add zeros ▪
so that the numbers are all the same length. Do the
calculation as you would any ordinary addition and
subtraction, remembering to put the decimal point in line 7 ▪ 8 7 2
in the answer. 1 ▪ 0 6
_ ▪
Decimals
Examples
Adding and subtracting Decimals
100.1 + 40.92 + 6.125 120.007 – 93.09

1 0 0 ▪ 1 0 0
4 0 ▪ 9 2 0 1 2 0 ▪ 0 0 7
+ 6 ▪ 1 2 5 - 9 3 ▪ 0 9 0
▪ ▪
1 4 7 1 4 5 2 6 9 1 7
Decimals
Using approximation when adding and subtracting decimals
When using approximation to check our answers, we follow the same rules of rounding
decimals to the right ‘degree of accuracy’.
Example: 3.8003 + 6.109 + 4.79 we estimate the answer using 4 + 6 + 5 = 15
The correct figure is 14.6993. The estimation gives us an insight to the actual amount.
Using estimation is an excellent way to check your answers.
Example: You have been asked to subtract 18.054 from 26.51
We estimate the answer using 27 – 18 = 9. The correct figure is 8.456
 Task
Decimals
Checking answers to calculations that involve
decimals using estimation and approximation.
Exercise 5.
Complete all the questions
Decimals
Add, subtract, multiply and divide decimals up to three decimal
places.
Objectives L2 N10
Multiply decimals up to three decimal places using non-calculator and
calculator methods.
Multiply decimal numbers by 10, 100, 1000.
Check the answers to calculations that involve decimals through use of
estimation and approximation.
Decimals
Multiply decimals up to three decimal places using non-calculator and
calculator methods.
Multiplying Decimals
If you already know how to multiply, then multiplying decimals will be easy, there is just one extra step you need

to take. First, you multiply the numbers just like normal, as if the decimal point wasn't there. Let's try some

examples:
4.22 x 3.1 = ? Just ignore the decimal place and continue as if both numbers were integers.
422
X 31
13082 Once the calculation is complete, you need to replace the decimal point. We removed three decimal
places, so we need to put them back, which gives us 13.082
Decimals
Multiplying Decimals
Examples:
It is always useful to check the result by working out what you would expect the
answer to be close to, i.e. do an approximate calculation using whole numbers to
make sure that you are likely to be correct.
Using estimate on the same calculation:
9.453 x 7 becomes
9.453 x 7 becomes 9 x 7 = 63. The estimate gives
9453 Don’t forget to us a good indication of the correct solution and is
count back in the an ideal way to check your answers.
x 7 decimal places.

66171
 Task
Decimals
Multiplying Decimals
Examples: Using estimate on the same calculation:
6.35 x 8.5 = 6.35 x 8.5 becomes 6 x 9 = 54. The estimate
gives us a good indication of the correct solution
635 and is an ideal way to check your answers.
Don’t forget to
x 85
count back in the
3175 decimal places. Exercise 6
50800 Complete all questions.
53 975

Decimal Point.
Decimals
Multiply Decimals by 10, 100 and 1,000.
When multiplying decimals by 10, the decimal point moves one place value to the right, two
places when multiplying by 100, and three place when multiplying by 1,000.

3 . 45678 x 10 = 34 .
5678
3 . 45678 x 100 = 345 . 678
3 . 45678 x 1000 = 3456 . 78
 Task
Decimals
Examples
X 10 X 100 X 1,000

5.7

23.02

0.92

0.306

24.67
Decimals
Add, subtract, multiply and divide decimals up to three decimal
places.
Objectives L2 N10
Divide decimals up to three decimal places using non-calculator
and calculator methods.
Divide decimal numbers by 10, 100, 1000.
Check the answers to calculations that involve decimals through
use of estimation and approximation.
Decimals
Divide decimal numbers by 10, 100, 1000.
When dividing decimals by 10, the decimal point moves one place value to the
left, two places when dividing by 100, and three place when dividing by 1,000.

345 . 678 ÷ 10 = 34 .
5678
345 . 678 ÷ 100 = 3 . 45678
345 . 678 ÷ 1000 = 0 . 345678
Decimals
Divide decimals up to three decimal places using non-calculator
and calculator methods.
If you already know how to divide, then dividing decimals by whole numbers will be easy,
there is just one extra step you need to take. First, you divide the numbers just like normal, as if
the decimal point wasn't there. Let's try some examples:
9.24 ÷ 7 244.4 ÷ 52
132 Don’t forget to 47
7 924 count back in 52 24440
the decimal
22 364
= 1.32 places.
14
= 4.7
Decimals
We will use exactly the same process when dividing whole numbers by
decimals. The process is different when we divide a decimal
468 ÷ 5.2 = number by another decimal number. The divisor (the
90 number you are dividing by), needs to be a
52 468 whole number. If it isn’t already a whole number
then you multiply both the divisor and the divident
Don’t forget to
(the number you are dividing into) by 10, 100 or
count back in 1000 to make it a whole
the decimal
places.
Decimals
Example
3.02 ÷ 0.2 becomes 30.2 ÷ 2 1.7283 ÷ 0.003 becomes 1782.3 ÷ 3
151 5761
We need to get rid of To make 0.003 a whole
2 302 the decimal point in the 3 17283 number, you must multiply by
divisor, so we must 1000. [0.003 × 1000 = 3] You
22
multiple both sides by must then multiply 1.7283 by
18
10. We can now 1000. [1.7283 × 1000 =
replace the decimal 1728.3]. You can then replace
point. the decimal point.
 Task
Decimals
Dividing Decimals
Exercise 9
Complete all questions without a calculator, you
must show all your workings out.

Exercise 10
Complete all questions, you may you a calculator;
however, all working out must be shown.
Decimals
Using estimation to check calculations:
When using approximation to check our answers, we follow the same rules of rounding
decimals to the right ‘degree of accuracy’.
Example: 29.8003 ÷ 6.109 we estimate the answer using 30 ÷ 6 = 5 (actual 4.878)
The estimation gives us an insight to the actual amount.
Using estimation is an excellent way to check your answers.
Example: You have been asked to divide 134.7802 by 15.408
We estimate the answer using 135 ÷ 15 = 9. The correct figure is 8.7474
 Task
Decimals
Dividing Decimals
Exercise 10
Complete all questions without a calculator, you must show all
your workings out.
Decimals
Decimals are a way of writing a number that is not whole. Decimal numbers are
'in between' numbers. For example, 10.4 is in between the numbers 10 and 11.
This is similar to fractions and percentages which are also a part of a whole. All
three are fully interchangeable.
Decimals
Converting decimals to percentages.
This is the most straightforward operation. To turn a decimal into a percentage we simply
multiply by 100.
For example:
0.56 x 100 = 56%
0.875 x 100 = 87.5%
0.7545 x 100 = 75.45%
Move the decimal point two places to the right.
Decimals
Converting decimals to fractions.
This operation is slightly more tricky and depends on how many decimal places you have. 0.3
has one decimal place, 0.25 has two decimal places, etc.
We have to multiply the decimal by a factor of 10 to get rid of the decimal place. For example;
0.3 x 10 =
0.25 x 100 =
0.275 x 1000 =