Final answer:
To divide a decimal by a whole number, perform the division as if there were no decimal and adjust the decimal point in the result. Think of the reciprocal of 8 as "1.25-like" and use subtraction of exponents for powers of 10.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding how to divide decimals involves a few simple steps. When dividing 3225.52 by 8, you can treat the problem as if there were no decimal point and then adjust the decimal at the end. To simplify the process, think of the reciprocal of 8 as being "1.25-like", meaning you can use common sense to estimate an answer before calculating. In this case, the reciprocal of 8 is 0.125, so you would expect your answer to be similar to multiplying 3225.52 by 0.125. To get the exact answer, perform the division as you would with whole numbers, and then place the decimal point in the quotient in the correct position to ensure the answer has the same number of decimal places as the original number.
If you come across a division involving powers of 10, such as 105/103, remember that you subtract the exponent in the denominator from that in the numerator to get 102. Similar techniques can be used for numbers like 8.552 × 106 divided by 3.129 × 103 without the need for a calculator, by subtracting exponents and then dividing the coefficients normally.