Lesson 20

Dividing Decimals by Decimals

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Lesson Narrative

In the previous lesson, students learned how to divide a decimal by a whole number. In this lesson they see that multiplying both the dividend and the divisor by the same power of 10 does not change the quotient and they apply this understanding to find the quotient of two decimals (MP7). They see that to divide a number by a decimal, they can simply multiply both the dividend and divisor by a power of 10 so that both numbers are whole numbers. Doing so makes it simpler to use long division, or another method, to find the quotient. Students then practice using this principle to divide decimals in both abstract and contextual situations.


Learning Goals

Teacher Facing

  • Divide whole numbers or decimals by decimals, and explain the reasoning (orally and using other representations), including choosing to divide a different expression that gets the same quotient.
  • Generalize (orally and in writing) that multiplying both the dividend and the divisor by the same factor does not change the quotient.
  • Generate another division expression that has the same value as a given expression, and justify (orally) that they are equal.

Student Facing

Let’s divide decimals by decimals.

Learning Targets

Student Facing

  • I can find the quotient of two decimals.
  • I know how multiplying both the dividend and the divisor by the same factor affects the quotient.

CCSS Standards

Building On

Addressing

Building Towards

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