Decimal Algorithms
1. The concept of borrowing in decimal subtraction with an example.
Borrowing in decimal subtraction is a method used when subtracting one number from
another and a digit in the top number is smaller than the corresponding digit in the bottom
number. In such a case, you "borrow" 1 from the next digit to the left to make the subtraction
possible.
Example:
subtract:
42.5 - 27.8
2. Decimal division work when the divisor is greater than the dividend.
Decimal division works perfectly even when the divisor is greater than the dividend. In such
cases, the result will
simply be less than 1, which is a decimal number.
Let's divide 4 ÷ 5.
• 5 is greater than 4, so you can’t divide it into 4 as a whole number.
• But you can express it as a decimal.
4 ÷ 5 = 0.8
This means 5 fits into 4 only 0.8 times.
3. Role of decimal points in the addition and subtraction of decimal numbers?
The decimal point plays a crucial role in the addition and subtraction of decimal numbers. It
ensures that digits with the same place value (tenths, hundredths, units, etc.) are correctly
aligned, allowing for accurate calculations.
a) Aligning Place Values
Before adding or subtracting decimal numbers, you must line them up vertically by their
decimal points. This ensures:
• Units line up with units
• Tenths with tenths
• Hundredths with hundredths, and so on
b) Preserving Accuracy
If the decimal point is not aligned:
• You may add digits with different place values, leading to incorrect results.
• For example, adding tenths to hundredths would be mathematically incorrect.
4. The process of converting a decimal number to a fraction and perform the conversion with an
example.
Step 1: Write down the decimal over 1
Start by placing the decimal number as the numerator (top of the fraction) and 1 as the
denominator.
Step 2: Multiply to eliminate the decimal
Multiply both the numerator and denominator by 10, 100, 1000, etc., depending on how many
decimal places
there are — enough to turn the decimal into a whole number.
Step 3: Simplify the fraction
Reduce the fraction to lowest terms by dividing both the numerator and denominator by their
greatest common divisor (GCD).
5. Rounding and truncation in decimal number.
1. Truncation
Truncation means cutting off the decimal after a certain number of digits without rounding.
Example:
Divide:
10÷3=3.333333……
If we truncate to 2 decimal places, we simply cut off after the second decimal digit:
10÷3≈3.33(Truncated)10 ÷ 3 ≈ 3.33 \quad \text{(Truncated)}10÷3≈3.33(Truncated)
No rounding is done. You just stop at a chosen place.
2. Rounding
Rounding means adjusting the last digit based on the value of the digit that follows it.
Rule:
• If the next digit is 5 or more, round up
• If it's less than 5, round down (keep the digit)
Example:
Divide:
10÷3=3.333333…
If we round to 2 decimal places, look at the third digit (3):
• It's less than 5 → keep the second digit as it is
10÷3≈3.33
But if we had:
10÷3=3.336
Rounding to 2 decimal places:
• Third digit is 6, so round the second digit up:
10÷3≈3.34
Summary:
Feature Truncation Rounding
What it does Cuts off digits Adjusts the last digit based on next
Accuracy Less accurate More accurate
Use case Simpler, quick approximations When you need a more precise result
6. The Role of "Carry" in Decimal Addition
The "carry" in decimal addition is used when the sum of digits in a column is 10 or more.
Instead of writing a two-digit number in a single place value, we write the rightmost digit and
"carry" the left digit over to the next column on the left.
This process ensures that the place value system is respected — that is, every place (ones,
tenths, hundredths, etc.) only holds a single digit (0–9).
How Carry Works (with decimals):
add:
6.47 + 5.68
Step-by-step:
6.47
+ 5.6
Step 1: Add the hundredths (rightmost digits):
7 + 8 = 15
• Write 5 in the hundredths place
• Carry 1 to the tenths place
Step 2: Add the tenths:
4 + 6 = 10
Then add the carry: 10 + 1 = 11
• Write 1 in the tenths place
• Carry 1 to the ones place
Step 3: Add the ones:
6 + 5 = 11
Then add the carry: 11 + 1 = 12
• Write 2 in the ones place
• Carry 1 to the tens place
Since there are no more digits, just write down the carry:
Answer: 12.15
7. Decimal multiplication with two numbers having different decimal places
Multiplying decimal numbers with different decimal places follows the same basic
process as whole number multiplication, with a step to adjust the decimal point in the final
answer.
Step-by-Step Process
multiply:
3.4 × 0.56
Step 1: Ignore the Decimal Points
Remove the decimals temporarily and multiply the numbers as whole numbers:
3.4 becomes 34
0.56 becomes 56
Now multiply:
34×56=1904
Step 2: Count Total Decimal Places
Now go back and count the total number of decimal places in the original numbers:
3.4 → 1 decimal place
0.56 → 2 decimal places
Total = 1 + 2 = 3 decimal places
Step 3: Place the Decimal Point
Now take the product (1904) and place the decimal point 3 places from the right:
1904→1.904
Final Answer:
3.4×0.56=1.904
