6th grade · Math · Unit 3 of 17
Decimal × and ÷
Multiply and divide decimals
What your child practices
Multiplying and dividing decimals, estimating to check where the decimal point goes, and solving shopping and measurement problems.
Maine Learning Results learning standard: 6.NS.B.3 · adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing multi-digit decimals
How we explain it
Children can open this short lesson before they practice.
- Multiply as if there were no decimal points.
- Count the decimal places in the numbers you started with.
- Give your answer that many decimal places.
Example: 0.6 × 4 = ? Ignore the point: 6 × 4 = 24. 0.6 has 1 decimal place. So the answer has 1 decimal place: 2.4. Answer: 2.4
Decimal × and ÷ in Maine
In the Maine Learning Results, this is unit 3 of 17 in 6th grade Math, after Mixed Numbers & Ratios and before Percents & Budgets.
Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.
Source: Maine Department of Education
Sample questions
A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.
Question 1
What is 2.91 × 6?
2.91 × 6 = ?
answer box
17.46
Hint: Multiply as if there were no decimal point: 291 × 6 = 1746. 2.91 has 2 decimal places, so the answer does too.
Question 2
What is 4.2 × 0.2?
4.2 × 0.2 = ?
answer box
0.84
Hint: Multiply the whole numbers: 42 × 2 = 84. There are 2 decimal places in the factors altogether, so count 2 places from the right.
Question 3
43 × 26 = 1118. Use this fact to find 4.3 × 2.6.
43 × 26 = 1118
- 11.18
- 1118
- 111.8
- 1.118
11.18
Hint: The digits come from 1118. Count the decimal places in both factors (2 in total), then move the decimal point in 1118 that many places to the left.
Question 4
Ana buys 7 tennis balls at $1.85 each. What is the total cost in dollars?
🎾$1.85 eachanswer box
12.95
Hint: Multiply the price by 7. It can help to work in cents: 185¢ × 7, then change cents to dollars (100¢ = $1).
Question 5
34.3 L of juice is poured equally into 7 bottles. How much juice goes in each bottle?
answer boxL
4.9 L
Hint: Divide the total by 7: 34.3 ÷ 7. Think of 34.3 as 343 tenths to make it easier.
Question 6
A bag holds 4 kg of trail mix. How many 0.2 kg portions can be made?
answer box
20
Hint: Divide 4 by 0.2. Multiply both numbers by 10 to get whole numbers first: 40 ÷ 2.