Converting fractions to decimal

Ordinary fractions with 10, 100, 1000 or 10000 in the denominator can also be converted to decimals. Since a fraction has no whole part, first write down 0, then put a dot and write down the numerator of the fractional part.

Here too, the number of zeros in the denominator and the number of digits in the numerator must be the same. Therefore, you should be careful.

Example 1. Convert an ordinary fraction into a decimal.

The whole part is missing, so first write 0 and put a dot:

0.

Now look at the number of zeros in the denominator. We see that there is one zero. And there is one digit in the numerator. So we can safely continue the decimal by writing the number 5 after the point

0.5

In the resulting 0.5 decimal, the number of digits after the dot and the number of zeroes in the denominator of the fraction are the same. So the fraction is converted correctly.

The decimal 0.5 reads like this:

«Zero point five»

Example 2. Convert an ordinary fraction into a decimal.

The whole part is missing. Write 0 first and put a dot:

0.

Now look at the number of zeros in the denominator. We see that there are two zeros. And there is only one digit in the numerator. To make the number of digits and the number of zeros the same, we add one zero before number 2 in the numerator. Then the fraction will look like . Now the number of zeros in the denominator and the number of digits in the numerator are the same. So we can continue the decimal:

0.02

In the resulting decimal 0.02, the number of digits after the point and the number of zeroes in the denominator of the fraction are the same. So the fraction is translated correctly.

The decimal 0.02 reads like this:

«Zero point two hundredths».

Example 3. Convert an ordinary fraction into a decimal.

Write 0 and put a dot:

0.

Now count the number of zeroes in the denominator of the fraction . We see that there are five zeros, and only one digit in the numerator. To make the number of zeros in the denominator and the number of digits in the numerator the same, we need to add four zeros before the number 5 in the numerator:

Now you can continue the decimal. Write the numerator of the fraction after the point

0.00005

In the resulting decimal 0.00005, the number of digits after the decimal point and the number of zeroes in the denominator of the fraction are the same. So the fraction is converted correctly.

The decimal 0.00005 reads like this:

«Zero point five one hundred thousand».

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