Divide decimals by whole numbers: word problems
key notes
| Key Points |
| Steps to Divide Decimals by Whole Numbers |
- Write the dividend (decimal number) inside the division bracket.
- Place the divisor (whole number) outside the bracket.
- Divide as in whole numbers.
- Bring the decimal point straight up into the quotient.
- Continue dividing until you reach the required decimal places.
Tips
| Steps to Divide Decimals by Whole Numbers |
- Always align the decimal point properly in the answer.
- Add zeros to the dividend if needed.
- Check the answer by multiplying quotient × divisor = dividend.
| Examples |
| Example 1 |
A packet of juice contains 3.6 liters of juice. If it is poured equally into 6 bottles, how much juice will each bottle contain?
👉 Division: 3.6÷6=0.63.6 ÷ 6 = 0.63.6÷6=0.6
Answer: Each bottle contains 0.6 liters of juice.
| Example 2 |
A rope is 12.8 meters long. It is cut into 4 equal pieces. Find the length of each piece.
👉 Division: 12.8÷4=3.212.8 ÷ 4 = 3.212.8÷4=3.2
Answer: Each piece is 3.2 meters long.
| Example 3 |
A car uses 45.6 liters of fuel in 8 days. How many liters does it use per day?
👉 Division: 45.6÷8=5.745.6 ÷ 8 = 5.745.6÷8=5.7
Answer: The car uses 5.7 liters of fuel per day.
| Practice Word Problems |
- A bag of rice weighs 7.5 kg. If it is shared equally among 5 families, how much rice will each family get?
- A cloth of length 18.9 meters is cut into 9 equal parts. What is the length of each part?
- A shopkeeper earned 62.4 rupees in 6 hours. How much did he earn per hour?
- A tank contains 25.2 liters of water. If water is distributed equally into 12 bottles, how much water does each bottle hold?
- A person walked 9.6 kilometers in 4 hours. What was his speed per hour?
Learn with an example
▶️ Neil bought 5 rolls of paper towels. He got 408.7 metres of paper towels in all. How many metres of paper towels were on each roll?
Add zeroes after the decimal point in the number you are dividing. Divide until there is no remainder.
There were 81.74 metres of paper towels on each roll.
▶️ A lollipop factory used 298.91 kilograms of sugar to make 5 batches of lollipops. How much sugar did the factory put in each batch?
Add zeroes after the decimal point in the number you are dividing. Divide until there is no remainder.
The factory put 59.782 kilograms of sugar in each batch of lollipops.
▶️ An orchard produced 918.21 litres of fresh-squeezed orange juice over the course of 3 days. How much orange juice was produced each day, on average?
Divide until there is no remainder.
The orchard produced 306.07 litres of orange juice each day.
Let’s practice!
