Multiply or divide as indicated. 12.8 * 9.1

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the operation to be performed, which is multiplication in this case.
2. Write the numbers in a vertical format to prepare for multiplication: 12.8 and 9.1.
3. Ignore the decimal points initially and multiply the numbers as if they were whole numbers: 128 and 91.
4. Calculate the product of 128 and 91 using the standard multiplication method.
5. Count the total number of decimal places in the original numbers (one in each), and place the decimal point in the product accordingly, moving it two places from the right.

Key Concepts

Multiplication

Multiplication is a mathematical operation that represents the repeated addition of a number. In the context of the question, multiplying 12.8 by 9.1 involves finding the total of 12.8 added together 9.1 times. This operation is fundamental in algebra and is often used to simplify calculations involving larger numbers.

Decimal Numbers

Decimal numbers are numbers that contain a decimal point, which separates the whole part from the fractional part. In this question, both 12.8 and 9.1 are decimal numbers, and understanding how to work with them is crucial for accurate calculations. When multiplying decimals, it is important to keep track of the decimal places to ensure the final answer is correctly formatted.

Order of Operations

The order of operations is a set of rules that dictates the sequence in which mathematical operations should be performed to ensure consistent results. Although the question only involves multiplication, understanding this concept is essential in more complex problems where multiple operations are present. The standard order is Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division (from left to right), and Addition and Subtraction (from left to right), often abbreviated as PEMDAS.