In this unit we revise some aspects of decimals and then learn about converting decimals to fractions.
Place Value
Each of the digits in a number has a different value, because of the place values.
Think about the number 4.276:
Converting Decimals to Fractions
Now think about the number 0.27:
One tenth is the same as ten hundredths, so two tenths must be the same as twenty hundredths.
This means that 0.27 can also be thought of as 27 hundredths or.
In the same way, 0.127 is 127 thousandths or.
The fractions you need to know in order to convert decimals to fractions are shown on the right:
Examples |
Sorting decimals into order
If we want to sort some decimal numbers into order, it is easier to compare them if you use the same number of decimal places for each number.
For example, imagine we want to sort the numbers 0.7, 0.17, 0.77, 0.71, 0.701 and 0.107 into ascending order.
Writing each to 3 decimal places gives: 0.700, 0.170, 0.770, 0.710, 0.701 and 0.107.
It's now easier to see the order should be: 0.107, 0.170, 0.700, 0.701, 0.710, 0.770.
So the answer is: 0.107, 0.17, 0.7, 0.701, 0.71, 0.77.
(a) Convert 0.51 to a fraction.
(b) Convert 0.125 to a fraction.
(c) Sort into ascending order: 0.37, 0.733, 0.037, 0.7, 0.07, 0.307.
 
Some questions have fractions as answers. Put the numerator in the top box and the denominator in the bottom box, for example: |
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