Addition of Decimals

As we know numbers can be added, subtracted, multiplied and divided. However, all these type of operations can be easily performed on natural numbers. In case of decimals, addition can be done in a specific way. The addition of decimals involves several steps. 

How to Add Decimals?

Addition of decimals is performed using the following steps:

Step 1: The numbers are first padded with zero depending upon the maximum digits present after the decimal for any of the numbers. 

For example, while adding 3.456 to 7.1, since the number 3.456 has the number of digits after the decimal, the padding is done according to 3.456. Since 3.456 has 3 digits after the decimal, we pad two zeros after 1. So, 7.1 to three places is 7.100.

Step 2: The numbers are lined up vertically along with each other as given in the below figure.

Step 3: Finally, add the decimal numbers similar to integers and place the decimal point accordingly.

Examples of Decimal Addition

Let us see some examples of adding decimals.

Example 1: Addition 1.091 + 1.33.

Example 2: Addition 0.0075 + 5.

Example 3: Add 9.1, 3.22, and 0.66.

Solution:

Given, 9.1, 3.22 and 0.66.

As we can see, 9.1 has only one digit after the decimal but 3.22 and 0.66 have two digits.

Hence, we can write 9.1 as 9.10

Now add all the three decimals.

  9.10

+3.22

+0.66

——–

12.98

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