Final answer:
The solution to the equation '42 divided by blank equals 0.042' is to find the value that completes the equation. By rearranging and solving the division problem, we find that the blank should be filled with the number 1000.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question you're asking relates to a basic division operation in mathematics. When you see something like '42 divided by blank equals 0.042', what it's asking is 'what number should be placed in the blank to make the equation true?'
To solve this, you would set up the equation as follows:
42 / x = 0.042
Now solve for x by multiplying both sides by x and then divide by 0.042:
42 = 0.042x
x = 42 / 0.042
This gives you the solution:
x ≈ 1000
So, 42 divided by 1000 equals 0.042. Note that when dividing numbers, it's important to consider significant figures and rounding rules, just as you would in multiplication and addition. Calculators follow these operations literally but as humans, we need to apply the proper judgment for precision.