Multiplying Decimals Practice
20 questions · 60 seconds · tenths × tenths, vertical format
Free · no login · instant feedback on every answer
Train the one rule that runs all of decimal multiplication: multiply as if the numbers were whole, then count decimal places to position the point. Questions multiply numbers written in tenths (like 7.5 × 9.1), so answers land in the tenths or hundredths depending on how many decimal places the factors carry — counting them is the whole game.
The most common decimal-multiplication error isn't arithmetic, it's point placement — students compute 6825 correctly and then write 682.5. Instant feedback on every answer catches exactly that slip, and the count-the-places habit this drill builds is the same one scientific notation and percent calculations rely on later.
Tips That Make It Stick
- Ignore the points, then count them back. For 7.5 × 9.1: multiply 75 × 91 = 6825, count one decimal place in each factor (two total), and place the point two from the right: 68.25.
- Estimate to place the point. 7.5 × 9.1 is about 7 × 9 = 63 — so the answer must be 68.25, not 6.825 or 682.5. Estimation and place-counting should always agree.
- The answer has BOTH factors' places. Tenths × tenths = hundredths, because a tenth of a tenth is a hundredth. Unlike addition, the decimal point does not "line up" — it moves.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do you count decimal places when multiplying?
Each factor's decimal places represent division by 10. Multiplying 7.5 × 9.1 is really (75 ÷ 10) × (91 ÷ 10) = 6825 ÷ 100 — so the answer needs two decimal places, one from each factor.
What grade multiplies decimals?
Decimal multiplication is introduced in 5th grade and expected to be fluent in 6th grade. This drill's tenths-times-tenths format matches that range.
Why is my answer ten times too big or too small?
A miscounted decimal place — the classic slip. Estimate first (7.5 × 9.1 ≈ 63) and check that your placed point agrees with the estimate.
📝 Matching Printable Worksheets
Prefer paper practice? These free PDF worksheets cover the same skill — each includes an answer key: