Solve: 15.6 × 5.2x × 0.3 - Decimal and Variable Multiplication

Question

Solve the following problem:

15.6×5.2x×0.3= 15.6\times5.2x\times0.3=

Video Solution

Solution Steps

00:00 Solve
00:03 Let's use long multiplication to solve the multiplication
00:20 Pay attention to the decimal point
00:37 This is the first multiplication
00:53 Again, let's use long multiplication to solve the multiplication
01:03 0 multiplied by any number always equals 0
01:09 Pay attention to the decimal point
01:35 And this is the solution to the question

Step-by-Step Solution

Upon observing the exercise note that we have two "regular" numbers and one number with a variable.
Given that this is a multiplication exercise, multiplying a number with a variable by a number without a variable doesn't present a problem.

In fact, it's important to remember that a variable attached to a number represents multiplication by itself, for example in this case: 5.2×x 5.2\times x
Therefore, we can apply the distributive property in order to separate the variable, and come back to it later.
Proceed to solve the exercise from left to right.

Solve the left exercise vertically in order to avoid confusion as shown below:

     15.6×    5.2= 81.12 ~~~~~15.6 \\\times~~~~5.2 \\=~81.12

It's important to be careful with the correct placement of the exercise, where the decimal point serves as an anchor.
Then we can multiply in order, first the ones digit of the first number by the ones digit of the second number.
Next the tens digit of the first number by the ones digit of the second number, and so on.

We should obtain the following:

81.21×0.3= 81.21\times0.3=

Remember that:

0.3=0.30 0.3=\text{0}.30

Calculate:

24.336 24.336

Let's not forget to add the variable at the end resulting in the following answer:

24.336x 24.336 x

Answer

24.336x 24.336x