Question

How do you divide `3.436\div 0.12`?

Answer 1

`28.633`

Explanation:

The problem is the division by a decimal.

Try to divide by whole number, because it is easier to know where the decimal point will be.

Multiply both numbers by `100` as shown below:

`3.436/0.12 xx100/100" "larr xx100/100` is the same as `xx 1`

`=343.6/12`

Now divide as usual. We can do short division:

`12 |ul(3" "^(3)4" "^10 3." "^7 6" "^4 0" "^4 0" "^4 0`
`color(white)(xxxxxx)2 color(white)(x..x)8. color(white)(xx)6" "3" "3" "3`

`3 div 12` cannot go
`34div12 = 2` remainder `10`
`103 div 12 = 8` remainder `7`
`86div12=6` remainder `4`
`40div12=3` remainder `4`
`40div12=3` remainder `4`
`40div12=3` remainder `4` ...etc the decimal recurs

`343.6 div12 = 28.6333`