1. **State the problem:** We need to divide 31.87 by 8. 2. **Formula used:** Division is the operation of finding how many times the divisor fits into the dividend. Here, we calculate $$\frac{31.87}{8}$$. 3. **Perform the division:** $$31.87 \div 8 = 3.98375$$ 4. **Explanation:** Dividing 31.87 by 8 means splitting 31.87 into 8 equal parts. Each part is 3.98375. 5. **Final answer:** $$\boxed{3.98375}$$