35 students each has 1/10 of a box of pencils. how many boxes of pencils do they have in all? how do you break this down for a 4th grader to explain the work?

3.5 boxes.

Step-by-step explanation:

You know that the number of total students is 35.

You also know that each one of them has 1/10 of a box of pencils.

Then, to calculate the number of  boxes of pencils they have in all, you must multiply 35 by 1/10:

- Multiply the numerator 35 by the numerator 1:

-The fraction obtained indicates that you must divide 35 by 10.

When you divide a number by 10, you must move the decimal point one place to the left. The decimal point of 35 is located after the digit 5:

35.0

-Then, when you divide by 10, you obtain the following result:

The answer is: 3.5 boxes.