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Dividing a decimal by a whole number

In this math lesson, we learn how to divide decimals using long division. The key is to place the decimal point correctly and treat it like a regular long division problem. By following these steps, we can easily divide 5.005 by 7, resulting in an answer of 0.715. Created by Sal Khan.

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Video transcript

Let's see if we can divide 5.005 by-- let's divide it by 7, and see what we get. So we can rewrite this as 5.005 divided by 7. And the key here is to keep track of the decimal. But other than that, you're really treating it like a traditional long division problem. So you want to put the decimal, it's to the right of the ones place. So it's right over there. I just put the decimal right above the decimal. And now we would treat it just like a traditional long division problem. So how many times does 7 go into 5? Well, it goes into 5 zero times, and we could write 0 times 7 is 0. Actually, let's do that, just to show that it works to kind of do the process all the way through. 0 times 7 is 0. You subtract, you get 5. So you get this 5 right over here. So you get 5, and then we can bring down another 0. We bring down this 0 right over here. So now we ask ourselves, how many times does 7 go into 50? Well, 7 times 7 is 49, so it's going to go seven times. 7 times 7, 49. Subtract, you get 1. And now we can bring down this 0. Let's do that. We bring down that 0. 7 goes into 10 one time. 1 times 7 is 7. Subtract, get a 3. And now finally, we can bring down this 5. We can bring down the 5. And we ask ourselves, how many times does 7 go into 35? Well, 5 times 7 is 35. This goes 5 times. 5 times 7 is 35. Subtract, and we are done. We have divided it completely. And so 5.005 divided by 7 is equal to 0.715.