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Year 7 · Maths · Calculating with numbers · Lesson 2

Multiplying and dividing decimals

Multiply and divide decimals by whole numbers and by decimals using place value, and solve money and measure problems.

Whiteboard video lesson: Multiplying and dividing decimals

24-minute video lesson

Teaching, worked examples and 20 practice questions solved step by step.

Watch free for a month

What your child will learn

  • Multiply a decimal by a whole number
  • Multiply two decimals
  • Divide a decimal by a whole number
  • Divide by a decimal
  • Use known facts to calculate

The method

  1. Multiply: ignore the points and multiply.
  2. Count the decimal places and put them back.
  3. Divide by a whole number: short division, point stays.
  4. Divide by a decimal: multiply both numbers by 10 (or 100) first.

Key words: decimal, multiply, divide, decimal places, short division.

Worked examples

The first three practice questions from the lesson, with every step.

Question 1

Work out 0.2 × 3.

  1. Step 1: Ignore the points: 2 × 3 = 6
  2. Step 2: Decimal places: 1 + 0 = 1
  3. Step 3: 6 becomes 0.6

Answer: 0.6

Question 2

Work out 1.6 × 5.

  1. Step 1: Ignore the points: 16 × 5 = 80
  2. Step 2: Decimal places: 1 + 0 = 1
  3. Step 3: 80 becomes 8

Answer: 8

Question 3

Work out 3.25 × 4.

  1. Step 1: Ignore the points: 325 × 4 = 1300
  2. Step 2: Decimal places: 2 + 0 = 2
  3. Step 3: 1300 becomes 13

Answer: 13