4.32 *10^2 (10^2 means 10 to the power of 2) = 4.32*100=432. 4.32/10^2=4.32/100=0.0432, which is smaller than 432. Multiplying or dividing by 10 and its powers is a matter of moving the decimal point to the right (multiply) or left (divide). The number of noughts (zeroes), or the power, tell you how many places to move it. So for 100 there are two zeroes so it's 2 decimal places. Fill in any gaps in the product or quotient with zeroes. Anyway, 4.32*10^2 is larger than 4.32/10^2. Multiplying by a number bigger than 1 always produces an answer bigger than dividing by the same number.