CONVERTING FRACTIONS TO DECIMALS

•  Fractions and decimals are two different ways of representing the same values: parts of wholes. Knowing both systems well, and being able to convert values quickly between the two systems will help you to be very successful in the field of mathematics, and quite accomplished in solving some of life’s everyday problems.

• Many students have difficulty converting fractions to decimals because they are unsure where to begin. Remember that we have a base-10 place value system. The first space to the right of the decimal point is called the tenths place. The second space is called the hundredths place. For each column that you move to the right, you are dividing the previous column by ten. For each column that you move to the left, you are multiplying the previous column by ten. Because of this predictable pattern, one easy way to turn a fraction into a decimal is to check and see if there is a “friendly” way to change the denominator to a multiple of ten (like ten, one hundred, or one thousand). For example, if you need to write the fraction ¼ as a decimal, you can multiply the numerator and the denominator both by 25 to get a new fraction: ! 2) 5). Since the second decimal place is the hundredths place, your decimal is simply .25, with the digit five landing in the hundredths place and giving the decimal its name.
• Sometimes it is too difficult to make an equivalent fraction with a denominator that is easy to convert into a decimal. In these cases, the fraction should be treated as a division problem. Simply read the fraction from the top down. When you reach the fraction bar that separates the numerator and the denominator, read it as “divided by”. So for the fraction 4%  , read “four divided by five.” At first this may seem difficult to do. Remember, you are making a decimal. You will need to add a decimal point and zeroes to the four: 5r4.0
•  In this way you are able to divide five into forty instead of just four. Five times eight is 40, but with the decimal point your answer will be .8 (eight tenths). With practice, you will develop your skill at converting fractions to decimals until you do not even have to think about what you are doing, you will just know what to do. 

 Name:__________________________________

Answer the following questions based on the reading passage. Don’t forget to go back to the passage whenever necessary to find or confirm your answers.

1)   What is the relationship between fractions and decimals?

2)   Why should you try to make an equivalent fraction with a multiple of ten as your denominator?

3)   What is the third decimal place to the right of the decimal point called? Why?

4)   Why is it necessary to add a decimal point when you are dividing a numerator by its denominator?

5)   Apply what you have learned to write 9/20 as a decimal.