Solve Decimal Addition: 2.7 + 1.6 Step by Step

Q: Why can't I just add 27 + 16 and put a decimal point somewhere?

Because decimal place values matter! Adding 27 + 16 = 43, but this treats both numbers as whole numbers. You must align decimal points to keep tenths with tenths and ones with ones.

Q: What happens when I get more than 9 in a decimal place?

Just like with whole numbers, you carry over the extra to the next place! When $ 7 + 6 = 13 $, write 3 in tenths and carry 1 to the ones place.

Q: How do I know where to put the decimal point in my answer?

The decimal point in your answer goes in the same position as the aligned decimal points in your problem. If you line them up correctly, the answer's decimal point lines up too!

Q: Can I add decimals from left to right instead?

It's better to add from right to left (like whole numbers) so you can properly carry digits. Adding left to right makes carrying more confusing and error-prone.

Q: What if one number has more decimal places than the other?

Add zeros to make them the same length! For example, treat 2.7 as 2.70 when adding to 1.65. This keeps everything aligned properly.

Decimal Addition with Carrying Digits

$2.7+1.6=$

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Step-by-step written solution

Follow each step carefully to understand the complete solution

Understand the problem

$2.7+1.6=$

Step-by-step solution

To solve this problem, we'll follow these steps:

Step 1: Align the numbers by their decimal points:

$2.7 + 1.6$

Step 2: Add the numbers starting from the rightmost digit (the tenths place in this case):

The tenths place: $7 + 6 = 13$ . Write down $3$ and carry over $1$ to the ones place.
The ones place: $2 + 1 = 3$ , plus the carried over $1$ equals $4$ .

Thus, the result of the addition is:

$4.3$

The correct answer, $\boxed{4.3}$ , matches one of the choices, verifying our result.

Therefore, the solution to the problem is $4.3$ .

Final Answer

4.3

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic

Alignment Rule: Line up decimal points vertically before adding
Technique: Add tenths first: $7 + 6 = 13$ , carry 1
Check: Verify $4.3 - 1.6 = 2.7$ gives original first number ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors

Adding without carrying when sum exceeds 9
Don't write 13 in the tenths place = 4.13! This ignores place value rules and creates impossible decimal positions. Always carry the tens digit to the next place value when any column sum exceeds 9.

Practice Quiz

Test your knowledge with interactive questions

$2\frac{2}{5}+2\frac{2}{5}=$

FAQ

Everything you need to know about this question

Why can't I just add 27 + 16 and put a decimal point somewhere?

Because decimal place values matter! Adding 27 + 16 = 43, but this treats both numbers as whole numbers. You must align decimal points to keep tenths with tenths and ones with ones.

What happens when I get more than 9 in a decimal place?

Just like with whole numbers, you carry over the extra to the next place! When $7 + 6 = 13$ , write 3 in tenths and carry 1 to the ones place.

How do I know where to put the decimal point in my answer?

The decimal point in your answer goes in the same position as the aligned decimal points in your problem. If you line them up correctly, the answer's decimal point lines up too!

Can I add decimals from left to right instead?

It's better to add from right to left (like whole numbers) so you can properly carry digits. Adding left to right makes carrying more confusing and error-prone.

What if one number has more decimal places than the other?

Add zeros to make them the same length! For example, treat 2.7 as 2.70 when adding to 1.65. This keeps everything aligned properly.

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