Download Estimating Decimal Quotients Steps Dividing a Decimal by a Whole

Estimating Decimal Quotients Steps
Think of numbers close to the dividend and divisor that can easily be divided using mental
math.
*In some cases, you may just need to round
*In other cases you may need to think of compatible numbers.
Ex: 56.3 ÷ 9.2
Possible Estimates:
54 ÷ 9 = 6
60 ÷ 10 = 6
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Dividing a Decimal by a Whole Number
1) Bring the decimal point straight up.
2) Divide. Remember the steps for long division:
Drink Milk Slowly Charlie Brown
÷
x
-
check
↓ bring down next digit in dividend
3) If there is a remainder, you must add a zero to the dividend, bring it down, then go
through all of the long division steps again. You must continue to do this until there is
no remainder or you see a pattern.
Ex:
33) 206.5
divisor
dividend
006.25757
33) 206.50000
- 198
85
- 66
190
- 165
250
-231
190
-165
250
- 231
How to solve this problem- I’m
thinking to myself:
First, I’ll estimate- I’ll think of 33
as 30. 30 doesn’t go into 2; 30
doesn’t go into 20; 30 goes into
206 how many times? Hmmm3 into 20- that would be 6
times. I’ll try 6.
Then I’ll continue to go through
the long division steps: Divide,
Multiply, Subtract, Check, Bring
Down
Uh oh- I have a remainder of
19. I can’t have remainders
when dividing with decimals. I
need to add a zero to the
dividend, bring it down, and go
through the long division steps
again.
Finally I see a pattern 5757. I’ll
put a line above the numbers
that are repeating and I’m
finished with this problem.