Multiplying Decimals by Powers of Ten is Easier Than it Looks!
Multiplying decimals can be a lot of work, but because we use a base 10 number system, when you are multiplying by powers of ten it’s just a matter of moving the decimal place around. Let me show you how!
It’s All About Moving the Decimal
Because we work with a base ten numbering system, multiplying a number by 10, 100, 1000 or any other power of ten is as easy as moving the decimal place to the right.
To start, just count the number of zeroes in the value you are multiplying by. For example, if you are multiplying a decimal by 100, you have two zeroes. That’s how many decimal places you’ll shift over to get the product.
Here’s an Example
Here’s an example of multiplying the decimal 123.456 by 100
What If I Run Out of Decimals?
If you have place values to the right of the decimal point, when you multiply by powers of ten those numbers will become wholes as your product gets larger. But what do you do when you run out of decimal places?
If you are multiplying a smaller decimal by a larger power of ten, there may not be digits in your decimal to count over as you are moving the decimal place. In those situations, you can simply add more zeroes to the right of the number and keep on counting.
If we revisit our example with a somewhat larger power of ten, it works out like this…
