Question

Divide the following expression:
235.4 by 1000

Answer 1

Hint: We are asked to divide 235.4 by 1000. We know that whenever we have to divide any number by 10 or 100 or 1000 or other powers of 10 then the decimal will be shifted toward the starting of the number and the number of numbers it will cross will depend upon the power of 10. For e.g., if the power of 10 is 2 then the decimal will shift two places before from its original place. In this way, you can divide 235.4 by 1000.

Complete step-by-step solution:
We have to divide 235.4 by 1000 which we are going to divide by using the following method:
We know that whenever we have to divide any number by some power of 10 then we shift the decimal in the backward direction of the number given and the number of places that we are shifting is equal to the power of 10.
For e.g. we have to divide 56.5 by 100 then we are going to shift the decimal towards the starting of a number and the places that decimal shifts are equal to the power of 10. In this example, the power of 10 is 2 so we are shifting 2 places from the original position of decimal and the result which we will get is equal to:
0.565
Now, we are going to divide 235.4 by 1000. We can write 1000 as ${{10}^{3}}$ so the power of 10 given in this problem is 3. Now, we are shifting the place of the decimal given in the problem by 3 places before the original position of the decimal. Hence, the result of the division of 235.4 by 1000 is equal to:
0.2354
Hence, on dividing 235.4 by 1000 we get 0.2354 as the answer.

Note: You might be wondering that in this problem we have given the decimal but there are numbers which do not contain decimal like 3564 then how do we divide this number by some power of 10.
We can always write any number which pre-requisitely does not contain any decimal as 3564.0. Now, you can apply the method that we have stated in the above solution.
For e.g. we have to divide 3564 by 100 then first of all we will write 3564 as 3564.0 then we have to shift the decimal point in the backward direction of the number. We can write 100 as ${{10}^{2}}$ and the power of 10 is 2 so we have to shift 2 places before the original position of the decimal point and the answer is equal to:
35.640
Now, you might think that our number has changed but the number has not changed because the position where 0 is written is insignificant.
If 0 is written like this:
35.064
Now, 0 is not insignificant.
Always do remember this placement of 0 and its significance.