Arithmetic Grade Five

Lesson Fifty: Decimal Multiplication

When you multiply two values which are less than one together, your answer will be smaller than either of the original values: 

  .1 x .2 = .02
  ENGLISH TRANSLATION: one-tenth times two-tenths equals two-hundredths
  .02 is less than .1 or .2
  
  .3 x .4 = .12
  ENGLISH TRANSLATION: three-tenths times four-tenths equals twelve-hundredths
  .12 is less than .3 or .4	

  .6 x .9 = .54
  ENGLISH TRANSLATION: six-tenths times nine-tenths equals fifty-four-hundredths
  .54 is less than .6 or .9
Keep in mind that five tenths equals fifty hundredths. 

	.5 = .50
In the same way thirty hundredths equals three tenths. 

	.30 = .3

Most of the time we just drop the optional zero unless there is an important reason to keep it (which there can be in some situations, but not in this lesson).

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