Adam divides 32/8032. In which place should he write the first digit of the quotient?

We have a quotient between a 2 digit number and a 4 digit number.

The usual rule for this type of problems is:

If the denominator has n more digits than the numerator, then the first digit will be in the nth position at the right of the decimal point.

If also, the denominator is larger than the numerator times 10^n, then the decimal will be moved another place to the right.

For example, if we divide 10 by 100 we have:

10/100

The denominator has one more digit than the numerator, then n = 1.

this means that the first digit of the quotient, will be on the first place at the left of the decimal point.

We can solve the quotient to get:

10/100 = 0.1

And, as we predicted, the first decimal is in the first place.

Now, with our quotient we have:

32/8032

n = 2.

and:

32*10^n = 3200

The denominator is larger than this, then we will move the first decimal to another place to the right.

Then we should expect to have the first decimal in the third place after the decimal point.

We can solve the quotient to get:

32/8032 = 0.0039

As we expected.