Find the value of 1.52 × 0.0225 (give your answer as a decimal number).

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: 0.0342

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This question checks your comfort with decimal multiplication, which is very common in bank exams, SSC exams, and other aptitude tests. Handling place values correctly while multiplying decimals is important because a small mistake with zeros and decimal points can completely change the answer.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • We need to evaluate the numerical product 1.52 * 0.0225.
  • Both numbers are positive decimal numbers.
  • The answer should be written as a decimal value, without any rounding instruction beyond normal precision.


Concept / Approach:
To multiply decimals, ignore the decimal points first and multiply the numbers as whole numbers. Then count the total number of decimal places in the factors. Finally, place the decimal point in the product so that it has the same total number of decimal places. This systematic approach prevents confusion and makes calculations cleaner in aptitude exams.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Rewrite the expression as 1.52 * 0.0225. Step 2: Count decimal places: 1.52 has 2 decimal places, and 0.0225 has 4 decimal places, for a total of 2 + 4 = 6 decimal places. Step 3: Remove decimal points and multiply 152 * 225 as whole numbers. Step 4: Compute 152 * 225 = 34200. Step 5: Now place the decimal point so that the product has 6 decimal places: 34200 becomes 0.034200. Step 6: Remove the unnecessary trailing zeros. So the final value is 0.0342.


Verification / Alternative check:
We know that 0.0225 is a small number, slightly more than 2 percent. Multiplying 1.52 by a little more than 0.02 should give a result slightly more than 1.52 * 0.02 = 0.0304. Our obtained answer 0.0342 is only a bit larger than 0.0304, which is perfectly reasonable and confirms that the magnitude is correct.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option 0.342 is ten times larger than the correct value, which would happen if you shifted the decimal point only five places instead of six. Option 0.00342 is one tenth of the correct answer, which would come from shifting the decimal point seven places. Option 0.375 and option 0.0375 are unrelated to the correct multiplication and likely come from guessing without checking decimal places carefully.


Common Pitfalls:
Students often ignore the total number of decimal places and just write the whole number product as the final answer, which is completely wrong. Another frequent error is to miscount the decimal digits in one of the factors. Always count decimal places in each factor, add them, multiply as whole numbers, and then shift the decimal point exactly that many places from the right in the product.


Final Answer:
Therefore, the correct value of 1.52 × 0.0225 is 0.0342.

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