Multiplying and dividing by powers of 10 worksheet

KS2Gems has crafted an engaging worksheet for children to practice multiplying and dividing by powers of 10, a crucial mathematical skill. The worksheet is designed to help students grasp the concept of scaling numbers up and down through multiplication and division by 10, 100, and 1000. The first activity requires a set of random whole and decimal number cards, digit cards or dice representing 10, 100, and 1000, along with a whiteboard and pens for recording answers. Students draw cards from two separate piles and either multiply or divide the chosen numbers by the selected power of 10. They then record their answers and discuss the strategies they used, enhancing their understanding of place value and number manipulation.

The second activity builds on the first by adding an element of reverse engineering to the process. Again, using a pile of random number cards and a special dice marked with multiplication and division symbols, students roll to determine the operation applied to the 'answer' number on the card. They must then deduce the original number and the calculation that led to the answer. For example, if the card shows the number 84 and the dice roll indicates x100, students work out that the starting number was 0.84, leading to the calculation 0.84 x 100 = 84. This activity not only reinforces their skills in multiplying and dividing by powers of 10 but also links to converting measures across different units such as mass, capacity, and distance. The objectives of these activities are to solidify students' ability to multiply and divide whole numbers and decimals by 10, 100, and 1000, ensuring a deeper understanding of these essential mathematical operations.