Unit 3

Decimal Fractions

DECIMAL FRACTIONS
Written with a decimal point
Equivalent to common fractions having
denominators which are multiples of 10
The chart below gives the place value for
1.234567
1
each2 digit in
3 the number
4
5
6

UNITS

TENTHS

HUNDREDTHS

THOUSANDTHS

TEN
THOUSANDTHS

HUNDRED
THOUSANDTHS

7
MILLIONTHS

READING DECIMAL FRACTIONS

To read a decimal, read number as whole

number.
Say name of place value of last digit to right.

0.567 is read five hundred sixty-seven thousandths

To read a mixed decimal (a whole number and

a decimal fraction), read whole number, read
word and at decimal point, and read decimal.

45.00753 is read forty-five and seven hundred fiftythree hundred thousandths

ROUNDING DECIMAL FRACTIONS

Rounding

rules:

Determine place value to which number is to

be rounded
Look at digit immediately to its right

If digit is less than 5, drop it and all digits to its right

If digit is 5 or more, add 1 to digit in place to which
you are rounding. Then drop all digits to its right

ROUNDING EXAMPLES

Round 14.763 to the nearest hundredth

6 is in the hundredths place value, so look at 3. Since 3

is less than 5, leave 6 alone and drop 3.
Ans: 14.76

Round 0.0065789 to the nearest ten

thousandth

5 is in the ten thousandths place value, so look at 7.

Since 7 is greater than 5, raise 5 to 6 and drop all digits
to its right.
Ans: 0.0066
5

CONVERTING FRACTIONS TO
DECIMALS
Fractions

can be converted to decimals

by dividing the numerator by the
denominator
Express 5/8 as a decimal fraction:
.625 Ans Place a decimal point after the 5 and
8 5.000
8
20
16
40
40

add zeros to the right of the decimal

point.
Bring the decimal point straight up in
the answer. Divide.
6

CONVERTING DECIMALS TO
FRACTIONS
To

change a decimal to a fraction, use

the number as the numerator and the
place value of the last digit as the
denominator
Change 0.015 to a common fraction:

0.015 is read as fifteen thousandths

15
3

Ans
1000 200
7

ADDITION AND SUBTRACTION

To

add and subtract decimals, arrange

numbers so that decimal points are
directly under each other.
Add or subtract as with whole numbers
Place decimal point in answer directly
under the other decimal points

ADDITION AND SUBTRACTION

Perform

the following operations:

13.475
+ 6.367
19.842 Ans

3.537
1.476
2.061 Ans

MULTIPLICATION

Multiply decimals using same procedures as

with whole numbers
Count total number of digits to right of decimal
points in both numbers being multiplied
Begin counting from last digit on right in
answer and place decimal point same number
of places as there are total in both of the
numbers being multiplied

10

MULTIPLICATION
Multiply62.41.73:

Since 62.4 has 1 digit to right of decimal and

1.73 has two points to right of decimal,
answer should have 3 digits to right of
decimal point
62.4
1.73
1 872
43 68
62 4
107 952 = 107.952 Ans
11

DIVISION

Divide using the same procedure as with

whole numbers
Move the decimal point of the divisor as many
places as necessary to make it a whole
number
Move the decimal point in the dividend the
same number of places to the right
Divide and place the decimal point in the
answer directly above the decimal point in the
dividend
12

DIVISION
Divide

2.432 by 6.4:

Move decimal point 1 place to right in 6.4

Move decimal point 1 place to right in 2.432
Place decimal point straight up in the answer
Divide
.38 Ans

64 24.32
2
5 12
5 12

13

POWERS
Product
Appear

of two or more equal factors

slightly smaller

Located

above and to right of number

being multiplied

14

POWERS
Evaluate each of the following powers:
.43
The power 3 means to multiply .4 by itself 3 times
.43 = .4 .4 .4 = .064 Ans
2
(2.5
3)
Parentheses first: 2.5 .3 = .75
(.75)2 = .75 .75 = .5625 Ans
15

ROOTS
A

quantity that is taken two or more

times as an equal factor of a number
Finding a root is opposite operation of
finding a power
Radical symbol () is used to indicate
root of a number

Index indicates number of times a root is to be

taken as an equal factor to produce the given
number

Note: Index 2 for square root is usually omitted

16

FINDING ROOTS
Determine the following roots:

64
This means to find the number that can be multiplied by
itself to equal 64. Since 8 8 = 64, the 64 = 8 Ans
3

27

This means to find the number that can be multiplied

by itself three times to equal 27. Since 3 3 3 = 27,
3
= 3 Ans
27
Note: Roots that are not whole numbers can easily be computed using
a calculator
17

ORDER OF OPERATIONS
Order

of operations including powers

and roots is:

Parentheses

Fraction bar and radical symbol are used as

grouping symbols
For parentheses within parentheses, do innermost
parentheses first

Powers and Roots

Multiplication and division from left to right
Addition and subtraction from left to right
18

ORDER OF OPERATIONS
Solve (2.4 2) 36 2
2

Parentheses and grouping symbols (square

root) first:
(1.2)2 + 6 2
Powers next:
1.44 + 6 2
Divide:
1.44 + 3
Add:
4.44 Ans

19

PRACTICE PROBLEMS
1.

Write the following numbers as words.

a. 0.0027
b. 143.45
c. 1.007368

2.
TENTHS

Round 10.2364579 to each of the

HUNDREDTHS THOUSANDTH
TEN
HUNDRED
following place
values:
S
THOUSANDTH
THOUSANDTHS
S

20

MILLIONTHS

PRACTICE PROBLEMS (Cont)

3.

Express each of the following as decimal fractions:

1
a.
2

7
b.
8

15
c.
16

4. Express each of the following as fractions in lowest

terms:
a. 0.16
b. 0.1204
c. 0.635
5. Perform the indicated operations:
a. 0.0027 + 0.249 + 0.47
b. 6.45 + 2.576
c. 3.672 1.569
d. 45.3 16.97
21

PRACTICE PROBLEMS (Cont)

e. 1.54 2.7
f. 25.63 3.46
g. 0.12 .4
h. 15.325 2.5
i. 0.33
j. (12.2 .2)2

k. 3 64
l. 4.64 1.4 1.2 2 2
m. 3 8 2 (.6) 2 2

22

Solutions
1.

Writing

a. Twenty-seven ten

thousandths
b. One hundred fortythree and forty-five
hundredths
c. One and seven
thousand three
hundred sixty-eight
millionths

2.

Rounding

1. 10.2
2. 10.24
3. 10.236
4. 10.2365
5. 10.23646
6. 10.236458

23

Solutions
3. Convert to decimal
a. 0.5
b. 0.875
c. 0.9375

4. Decimal to Fraction
a. a4

25
301
b. 2500
b

127
c. c200

24

Solutions
5. Order of operations
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.

0.7217
9.026
2.103
28.33
4.158
88.6798
0.03
6.13
0.027

j.
k.
l.
m.

5.9536
4
5.32
3.82

25