NUMBERS • DECIMAL NUMBERS 59

3

4 0. 75

Rewriting fractions as decimals

To rewrite a fraction as a decimal, we first turn it into an

equivalent fraction in tenths, hundredths, or thousandths.

We do this by finding a number we can multiply by the

fraction’s denominator to make it 10, 100, or 1000.

(^1) ⁄ 4 is the same as 0.25
We can change^1 ⁄ 4 into^25 ⁄ 100
by multiplying it by 25. When we
put the new fraction into place-
value columns, we see that
(^25) ⁄ 100 is 0.25.
(^1) ⁄ 2 is the same as 0.5
We can change^1 ⁄ 2 into^5 ⁄ 10 by
multiplying the numerator and
denominator by 5. When we put
(^5) ⁄ 10 into place-value columns, we
get the decimal fraction 0.5.
1
2
5
10
1
1000
1
100
1
10
1
5
0.
0.
0.
0.

The 5 in the
tenths column
means “five-
tenths”
(^25) ⁄ 100 is the
same as 0.25
Fraction Decimal
.
O
(^05)
0
1
4
25
100

.
O
2 5

=
× 5
× 5
× 25
× 25
001
01
1
2
The denominator is
multiplied by 5
The numerator is
multiplied by 5
1 4 1 3 1 2
0.
0.
0.
25
33
5
Fraction converter
Here is a table of some of the most
common fractions and their
equivalent decimal fractions.
1ST 44 .91SEC
Fractions go to the right
of the decimal point
The decimal
point separates
whole numbers
from fractions
Whole numbers
go to the left of
the decimal point
2ND 44.98SEC
3RD 45.24SEC
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10
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