3.
1 Multiplying and dividing by powers of 10
3.1 Multiplying and dividing by
powers of 10
In this section you will …
• multiply numbers by 10 to the power of any positive or
negative number.
Look at this section of the decimal place-value table.
… thousands hundreds tens units • tenths hundredths thousandths …
1 1 1
… 1000 100 10 1 • 10 100 1000
…
You can write the numbers 10, 100, 1000, … as positive powers of 10.
You can write the numbers 1 , 1 , 1 , … as negative powers of 10.
10 100 1000
Look at this pattern of numbers, written as powers of 10. Is there a link
between the powers and the values?
..., 1000 = 103, 100 = 102, 10 = 101, 1 = 100, 1 = 10−1, 1 = 10−2, 1 = 10−3, ...
10 100 1000
Tip
Note: You can write the decimal 0.1 as 1 or 10−1.
10
You can write the decimal 0.01 as 1 or 10−2.
100
This pattern continues as the numbers get bigger and smaller.
For example, 10 000 = 104 and 1 = 10−4, 100 000 = 105 and 1 = 10−5.
10 000 100 000
It is important to remember these two key points:
1 Multiplying a number by 1 , 1 , 1 , … is the same as dividing the
10 100 1000
same number by 10, 100, 1000, …
2 Dividing a number by 1 , 1 , 1 , … is the same as multiplying the
10 100 1000
same number by 10, 100, 1000, …
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3 Decimals, percentages and rounding
Worked example 3.1
Work out
a 2.5 × 103 b 12 × 10−2 c 365 ÷ 104 d 0.45 ÷ 10−3
Answer
a 103 = 1000 Start by writing 103 as 1000.
2.5 × 1000 = 2500 Rewrite the multiplication as 2.5 × 1000 and work out the
answer.
1
b 10−2 = 100 Start by writing 10−2 as 1
100
12 × 1 = 12 ÷ 100 Multiplying 12 by 1 is the same as dividing 12 by 100.
100 100
= 0.12 Work out the answer.
c 104 = 10 000 Start by writing 104 as 10 000.
365 ÷ 10 000 = 0.0365 Rewrite the division as 365 ÷ 10 000 and work out the answer.
d 10−3 = 1 Start by writing 10−3 as 1
1000 1000
0.45 ÷ 1 = 0.45 × 1000 Dividing 0.45 by 1 is the same as multiplying 0.45 by 1000.
1000 1000
Work out the answer.
= 450
Exercise 3.1
1 Match each decimal with the correct fraction and power of 10.
The first one has been done for you: a, D and ii.
1
a 0.1 A 1000 i 10 −2
1
b 0.001 B 10 000 ii 10 −1
1
c 0.000 01 C 100
iii 10 −4
1
d 0.01 D 10 iv 10 −5
1
e 0.0001 E 100 000 v 10 −3
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3.1 Multiplying and dividing by powers of 10
2 Copy and complete
a 3.2 × 103 = 3.2 × 1000 = … b 3.2 × 102 = 3.2 × 100 = …
c 3.2 × 101 = 3.2 × … = … d 3.2 × 100 = 3.2 × 1 = …
e 3.2 × 10−1 = 3.2 ÷ 10 = … f 3.2 × 10−2 = 3.2 ÷ 100 = …
g 3.2 × 10−3 = 3.2 ÷ … = … h 3.2 × 10−4 = 3.2 ÷ … = …
3 Look at your answers to Question 2. Compare all your answers with the
number you started with, 3.2. Arun makes this conjecture.
When you multiply
3.2 by 10 to a
negative power, the
answer is always
smaller than 3.2.
a Is Arun correct? Use specialising to explain your answer.
b Copy and complete these generalising statements:
i When you multiply a number by 10 to a negative power,
the answer is always ……… than the number you started with.
ii When you multiply a number by 10 to the power zero,
the answer is always ……… as the number you started with.
iii When you multiply a number by 10 to a positive power, the
answer is always ……… than the number you started with.
4 Work out
Tip
a 13 × 102 b 7.8 × 103 c 24 × 10
d 8.55 × 104 e 6.5 × 101 f 0.08 × 105 Remember:
g 17 × 100 h 8 × 10−1 i 8.5 × 10−2 100 = 1
j 4500 × 10−4 k 32 × 10−3 l 125 × 10−2 101 = 10
5 Copy and complete
a 320 ÷ 103 = 320 ÷ 1000 = … b 320 ÷ 102 = 320 ÷ 100 = …
c 320 ÷ 101 = 320 ÷ … = … d 320 ÷ 100 = 320 ÷ 1 = …
6 Work out
a 27 ÷ 10 b 450 ÷ 103 c 36 ÷ 102
d 170 ÷ 104 e 0.8 ÷ 101 f 2480 ÷ 105
g 9 ÷ 100 h 0.25 ÷ 102
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