Multiply Decimals in Columns

Remind students to line up digits on the right, not decimal points. Ask them to estimate first, so 8.87 × 7.5 should be near 9 × 7.5.

Multiply 6 pairs of decimals in columns, like 8.87 × 7.5 and 81.4 × 4.7, and place each decimal point. Multiply as with whole numbers. Then count the decimal places in both factors: the product has that many decimal places. The directions on the page read: Multiply. Show your work. Place the decimal point in each product. An answer key is included.

Yes, both. We made it for 6th Grade decimal multiplication, and the page works the same whether it lands on a kitchen table or a center rotation. At home, most families go through it together and talk the answers out loud, and that talking is where most of the learning happens with multiply decimals in columns. In class it runs well as independent work while you pull a small group. Print one copy or thirty, whichever the day needs.

No. Line up the digits on the right as with whole numbers and ignore the points while you multiply. Then count the decimal places in both factors to place the point, as in 8.87 × 7.5 = 66.525 on Multiply Decimals in Columns.

Each digit of the bottom factor makes one row, called a partial product, and the rows are added. On Column Multiplication of Decimals by Whole Numbers, 30.9 × 79 has one row for the 9 and one for the 70.

As many as both factors together. On Column Multiplication of Decimals to 4 Places, 0.6313 × 8.72 has 4 + 2 = 6 places, so the product is 5.504936.