1. To divide by 10 (to make something ten times smaller).
First write the number sentence for your calculation:
5 ÷ 10 =
0.5 10 m
100 th h t u .
1 .
1000 5
To make a number ten times smaller,
it moves one space to the right. 5
A zero is used as a
place value holder.

2. just remember the digits are holding hands & they can’t let go.
To divide by 100 (to make something a hundred times smaller).
First write the number sentence for your calculation:
105 ÷ 100 =
1.05 10 m
100 th h t u .
1 .
1000 5 1 1 5
To make a number a hundred times smaller,
it moves two spaces to the right. 5 1 1 5
Same ‘rules’ as before,
just remember the digits are holding hands & they can’t let go.

3. just remember the digits are holding hands & they can’t let go.
To divide by 1000 (to make something a thousand times smaller).
First write the number sentence for your calculation:
92,003 ÷ 1000 =
Notice how important it is to differentiate the appearance of the thousands’ separator comma and the decimal point. ,
92.003 . 10 m
100 th h t u .
1 .
1000 3 2 9 9 2 3
To make a number a thousand times smaller,
it moves three spaces to the right. 3 2 9 9 2 3
Same ‘rules’ as before,
just remember the digits are holding hands & they can’t let go.