Powers of 10 represent repeated multiplication of the number 10. They are expressed using exponents, which indicate how many times to multiply the base number (in this case, 10) by itself.
Multiplying by powers of 10 allows us to quickly express large numbers in a more efficient way. It helps us understand place value and makes calculations involving decimal numbers easier.
Dividing decimals by powers of 10 is essentially the reverse process of multiplying. The decimal point moves to the left as we divide because we are dividing by larger units (multiples) of ten.