3. \( 0.287 \times 0.356 \)

To help you visualize multiplying decimals, imagine you have 287 blueberries and you want to share them equally among 1,000 friends (because that seems fun!). When you multiply \( 0.287 \) and \( 0.356 \), you're essentially calculating how many blueberries each friend gets when divided down to two decimal places. You end up with a sweet \( 0.102 \) after nurturing those tiny values together! Now, if you're ever in doubt about your multiplication skills, a common pitfall is misplacing decimal points. To avoid this, remember to multiply the numbers as if they were whole numbers first, then count how many total decimal places you had in the original numbers (in this case, 3) and place the decimal in your result accordingly. A healthy splash of attention to detail ensures you don’t end up lost in the berry patch!