Question

How do you divide `7.332\div 3`?

Answer 1

`611/250` or `2.444`

Explanation:

We first need to rewrite the numbers as fractions.

`7.332 divide 3 = 7332/1000 divide 3/1`

Now we know that when dividing by a fraction we can multiply by its reciprocal.

`7332/1000 * 1/3 = 7332/3000`

Now we need to find common factors that both `7332` and `3000` share.

`(2*3666)/(2*1500) = (2*2*1833)/(2*2*750) = (2^2*3*611)/(2^2*3*250)`

Now we can cancel the common factors because when divided by each other they equal to `1/1`.

`(cancel2^2*cancel3*611)/(cancel2^2*cancel3*250) = 611/250`

As a bonus we can rewrite the fraction back to a decimal.
We can do this by making the denominator a power of 10.

`611/250 * 4/4 = 2444/1000 = 2444/10^3`, if a number is divided by a power of 10 this means that the decimal needs to be moved to the left by that number that is the power of 10, in this case the power of `10` is `3`, so,

`2444/10^3 = 2.444`

Answer 2

`2.444`

Explanation:

`(3| 7 . 3 3 2)/(color(white)(xxx)color(red)(2.444)`

Division by a single digit is usually set out as shown above.

The steps in the division are.

• 7 ÷ 3 =`color(red)( 2)` remainder 1

• Attach the remainder 1 to the 3 and treat as 13

• 13 ÷ 3 =`color(red)( 4)` remainder 1

• Attach this remainder 1 to the next 3 and treat as 13

• 13 ÷ 3 =`color(red)( 4)` remainder 1

• Attach the remainder 1 to the 2 and treat as 12

• 12 ÷ 3 =`color(red)(4)` remainder 0

When we reach a remainder of 0, the division is complete.

`rArr7.332÷3=2.444`