Place Value with Decimals

Lesson 9

Math

Unit 1

5th Grade

Lesson 9 of 13

Objective


Explain patterns in the placement of the decimal point when a decimal is divided by a power of 10. Recognize that in a multi-digit decimal, a digit in any place represents $${\frac{1}{10}}$$ as much as it represents in the place to its left.

Common Core Standards


Core Standards

  • 5.NBT.A.1 — Recognize that in a multi-digit number, a digit in one place represents 10 times as much as it represents in the place to its right and 1/10 of what it represents in the place to its left.
  • 5.NBT.A.2 — Explain patterns in the number of zeros of the product when multiplying a number by powers of 10, and explain patterns in the placement of the decimal point when a decimal is multiplied or divided by a power of 10. Use whole-number exponents to denote powers of 10.

Foundational Standards

  • 4.NBT.A.1

Criteria for Success


  1. Divide decimals by powers of 10 (e.g., $$5\div 1,000$$ or $$10^3$$$$43.2\div100$$ or $$10^2$$).
  2. Generalize the pattern that dividing a decimal by a power of 10 results in digits in the number shifting one place to the right for each power of 10 (MP.8).  
  3. Understand that a digit in one place (including decimal places) represents $$\frac{1}{10}$$ what it represents in the place to its left, $$\frac{1}{100}$$ what it represents two places to its left, etc.

Tips for Teachers


You might decide to include a Do Now/Warm-Up exercise at the beginning of the lesson that asks students to solve division equations with single decimal units (as either the dividend or the quotient), e.g., $$0.1\div10$$ and $$10\div1,000$$.

Lesson Materials

  • Thousandths place value chart (1 per student) — Students might need more or less depending on their reliance on this tool.
  • Base ten blocks (3 thousands, 30 hundreds, 40 tens, 80 ones per student or small group) — Students might not need these depending on their reliance on concrete materials. You could just use one set for the teacher if materials are limited.
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Anchor Tasks


Problem 1

a.   Solve. 

  1. $$2\div 10 =$$ ___________
  2. $$0.48 \div 10 = $$ ___________
  3. $$3.07\times \frac{1}{10}=$$ ___________
  4. $$185 \times 0.1=$$ ___________

b.   What do you notice about Part (a)? What do you wonder?

Guiding Questions

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Problem 2

a.   Solve. 

  1. $$4\div10=$$ ___________
  2. $$4\div 10^2 =$$ ___________
  3. $$4\div 10^3 =$$ ___________

b.   What do you notice about Part (a)? What do you wonder?

c.   Solve. 

  1. $$60.3 \times 0.1=$$ ___________
  2. $$60.3 \times 0.01=$$ ___________
  3. $$60.3 \times 0.001=$$ ___________

d.   What do you notice about Part (c)? What do you wonder?

e.   Use your conclusions from Parts (b) and (d) to find the solutions below. 

  1. $$890 \div 10,000 = $$ ___________
  2. $$2.07 \div 10^2 = $$ ___________
  3. $$4,050 \times 0.001 = $$ ___________

Guiding Questions

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Problem 3

Write a number in which the value of the digit 5 is $$\frac{1}{1000}$$ the value of the digit 5 in 5.26. Explain how you know the number you wrote is correct.

Guiding Questions

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Problem Set


Answer Keys

Unlock the answer keys for this lesson's problem set and extra practice problems to save time and support student learning.

Discussion of Problem Set

  • Look at #2. What did you get? How did you get it? 
  • Look at #3e and #3f. What is similar about these problems? What is different?
  • Look at #3g and #3h. What is similar about these problems? What is different? 
  • What error did the student make in Pattern A of #4? What about Pattern B? How do these mistakes exemplify that saying “add zeros” when multiplying by powers of 10 or “take away zeros” when dividing by powers of 10 isn’t correct? What’s a better way to describe what happens in those cases?

Target Task


Problem 1

A number is given below. 

605.49

In a different number, the 5 represents $$\frac{1}{10}$$ of the value of the 5 in the number above. What value is represented by the 5 in the other number?

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Problem 2

Explain why $$ 56 \div 1,000 = 0.056$$

Student Response

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Additional Practice


The Extra Practice Problems can be used as additional practice for homework, during an intervention block, etc. Daily Word Problems and Fluency Activities are aligned to the content of the unit but not necessarily to the lesson objective, therefore feel free to use them anytime during your school day.

Extra Practice Problems

Answer Keys

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Word Problems and Fluency Activities

Word Problems and Fluency Activities

Help students strengthen their application and fluency skills with daily word problem practice and content-aligned fluency activities.

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Lesson 8

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Lesson 10

Lesson Map

A7CB09C2-D12F-4F55-80DB-37298FF0A765

Topic A: Place Value with Whole Numbers

Topic B: Place Value with Decimals

Topic C: Reading, Writing, Comparing, and Rounding Decimals

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