6th Grade Math Textbook, Progress

Zeros in Division

3-9

Think

24 is close to the estimate of 25.

Erin used 8.75 gal of gasoline to drive her car

210 mi. How many miles per gallon of gasoline

did her car get?

To find the miles per gallon, n,

divide: 210
8.75n.

First estimate by using front-end estimation,

200 
 8 25. Then divide.

It is sometimes necessary to write one or more zeros

as placeholders in the dividendto complete the division.

0 0 0 2 4

8.7 5 
 2  1  0 . 8.7 5 
 2  1  0 . 0  0 8 7 5
 2  1  0  0  0

0 1 7 5 0

0 0 3 5 0 0

Place a decimal Move decimal points 0 0 3 5 0 0

point after 210. 2 places to the right. 0 0 0 0 0  0

Write 2 zeros as

placeholders.

Erin’s car got 24 miles per gallon.

If needed, write one or more zeros in the quotient

to show the correct place value.

00.0. 0 3 0 .0 0 3

4.7
 0 .1 4  1 Write 1 zero 5 9
 0 .1 7  7 Write 2 zeros

1 4 1 in the quotient. 1 7 7 in the quotient.

0 0 0 0 0 0

Study this example.

0. 0 4 8 Write a zero.

0.5
 0 .0 2  4 5
 0 .2 4  (^0) Write a zero.
2 0
0 4 0
0 4 0
0 0  0
Check.
Multiply:
0.50.0480.024
2.0
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