Division of Decimals Using Long Division

Whenever we want to divide a decimal by another decimal, we have get rid of the decimal point
from the number we are dividing by. (the divisor)

How do we do this?

We can "shift the decimal point" out of the way by multiplying by 10, as many times as we need to.

But we must do the same thing to both numbers in the division.

Example 1): 15 ÷ 0.2

We can multiply the 0.2 by 10, which shifts the decimal point out of the way:

0.2 × 10 = 2
But we must also do it to the 15:

15 × 10 = 150
So, 15 ÷ 0.2 has become 150 ÷ 2

150 ÷ 2 = 75

And so, the answer is:

𝟏𝟓 ÷ 𝟎. 𝟐 = 𝟕𝟓

Example 2): 6.4 ÷ 0.4

We multiply 0.4 by 10 0.4 × 10 = 4

We also multiply 6.4 by 10 6.4 × 10 = 64

6.4 ÷ 0.4 has now become 64 ÷ 4 = 16

So, the answer is: 𝟔. 𝟒 ÷ 𝟎. 𝟒 = 𝟏𝟔

Example 3: 0.539 ÷ 0.11

We shift the decimal 2 places in the divisor (0.11) by multiplying by 100 to make it a whole number.

0.11 × 100 = 11
Then we also multiply 0.539 by 100 0.539 × 100 = 53.9
So, 0.539 ÷ 0.11 becomes 53.9 ÷ 11

Using long division

04.9
11 53.9 Make sure you put a decimal point in the answer
directly above the decimal point in the dividend:
44 
99
99
00

Therefore, 𝟎. 𝟓𝟑𝟗 ÷ 𝟎. 𝟏𝟏 = 𝟒. 𝟗

Example 4: 2.405 ÷ 0.37

First, we multiply 0.37 by 100 0.37 × 100 = 37

Then we multiply 2.405 by 100 2.405 × 100 = 240.5

2.405 ÷ 0.37 now becomes 240.5 ÷ 37

Using Long Division

006.5
37 240.5
222 
185
18 5
0

Therefore, 𝟐. 𝟒𝟎𝟓 ÷ 𝟎. 𝟑𝟕 = 𝟔. 𝟓

Try these questions:

1) 9.84 ÷ 8
2) 16.52 ÷ 7
3) 0.275 ÷ 0.25
4) 4.214 ÷ 0.49
5) 3.888 ÷ 7.2