Count Your Decimal Places
The rules for multiplying decimals differ from the rules for adding and subtracting. Keeping the decimal points in line is not necessary for multiplication. Why? Because your answer (product) will depend on the number of decimal spaces in your multiplicand and multiplier. If you just said to yourself the what and the what, then please review Parts of a Problem to be refreshed on the parts of a multiplication problem.
The Difference Between 2 x .2 and .2 x .2
The answer is the number of decimal places in the product! For 2 x .2, there is only one decimal place, but for .2 x .2, you will count two decimal places.
Liesel takes it a step further to show us an example requiring three decimal places in the answer.
More Examples of Multiplying Decimals
Make sure your decimal places in the product equal the places in the multiplier and multiplicand .