Decimal Worksheets

How to use the decimal worksheet tool

1. Type a heading in Title on the sheet. The default is “Decimals”.
2. Open What to practice and choose a task. The default is adding and subtracting decimals.
3. If you chose multiplying, set Multiply: decimal × whole number (3.4 × 6) or decimal × decimal (0.4 × 0.7).
4. If you chose dividing, set Divide: decimal ÷ whole number, whole number ÷ whole number, or decimal ÷ decimal.
5. If you chose multiplying and dividing by 10, 100 and 1,000, set Multiply or divide and By.
6. Set Decimal places to tenths, hundredths, thousandths, or mixed.
7. Set Whole-number part to 0 to 9, 10 to 99, or 100 to 999.
8. Choose a Layout: Stacked (points lined up) or Across.
9. Tick or untick Include tricky pairs if you are comparing decimals.
10. Set the number of Problems and Columns.
11. Tick or untick Include answer key.

The preview updates after each change. Use New worksheet for a different sheet with the same settings, and Reset settings to return to the defaults. The page address stores your settings, so a bookmarked or shared link opens the same sheet. To print, choose Print or save as PDF, then pick US Letter or A4 paper. The browser’s print dialog can also save a PDF. At the default settings, the worksheet fits one page, and the answer key prints on its own page after it.

How do you add and subtract decimals?

Line up the decimal points in a column, then add or subtract each column from right to left, just as you would with whole numbers. Write extra zeros in empty places so both numbers have the same number of digits after the point.

For example, 6.75 − 1.27 = 5.48. Line up the points, subtract the decimal parts (0.75 − 0.27 = 0.48), then the whole numbers (6 − 1 = 5), and place the point in the answer directly below the others. Next, 9.44 + 1.11 = 10.55: the decimal parts give 0.44 + 0.11 = 0.55, and the whole numbers give 9 + 1 = 10.

When subtracting, put the larger number on top so the answer is positive. Check that your point sits in the same column in the answer as in the numbers above it.

Why is 0.5 bigger than 0.45?

The number 0.5 is bigger because it has 5 tenths, while 0.45 has only 4 tenths and 5 hundredths. Having more digits after the point does not make a decimal bigger.

To compare two decimals, write them with the same number of places by adding zeros at the end, so 0.5 becomes 0.50. Then compare digit by digit from the left. The first place where the digits differ decides which number is larger. Here, 0.50 and 0.45 match in the ones place, then 5 is greater than 4 in the tenths place.

Some pairs are equal even though they look different. Adding a zero at the end does not change the value, so 0.7 and 0.70 are equal, and 5.44 and 5.440 are equal. Comparing 1.32 and 1.4 gives 1.32 < 1.4, because 1.40 is greater than 1.32.

How do you multiply and divide decimals by 10, 100 and 1,000?

Multiplying by 10, 100 or 1,000 moves every digit 1, 2 or 3 places to the left, which looks like the decimal point moving the same number of places to the right: 3.27 × 100 = 327. Dividing moves the digits the other way: 45.6 ÷ 10 = 4.56. The worksheet task for this skill can show only ×, only ÷ or both.

When the numbers have different numbers of decimal places, write zeros to even them up first: 2.5 + 1.75 becomes 2.50 + 1.75 = 4.25.