Lesson 7, Topic 5
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# Conversion of Fractions to Decimals

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### Changing Fractions to Decimals:

To express a fraction as a decimal, make an equivalent fraction with a denominator that is a power of ten.

Example 1

Express$$\frac {3}{5}$$as a decimal.

Solution:

$$\frac {3}{5} = \frac {3}{5} \; \times \; \frac {10}{10}$$

= $$\frac {30}{50} = \frac {6}{10} = \scriptsize 0.6$$

Note: 5 in 30 we give 6 and 5 in 50 give 10.

Example 2

Express $$\frac {6}{25}$$as a decimal

Solution:

To make the denominator in power of 10 we multiply the numerator and denominator it by 4 to get 100. We are looking for the number that will multiply 25 to get 100.

Note: We can also obtain the number by divinding 100 by 25 = $$\frac {100}{25} \scriptsize = 4$$

Hence

$$\frac {6}{25} = \frac {6 \; \times \; 4}{25 \; \times \; 4} = \frac {24}{100}$$

= 0.24

Example 3

Express$$\frac {5}{8}$$as a decimal.

Solution

$$\frac {5}{8} = \frac {5 \: \times \: 1000}{8 \: \times \: 1000} = \frac {5000}{8000}$$

= $$\frac {625}{1000} \scriptsize = 0.625$$

Ans = 0.625

(Hint: To make 8000 to the power of 10 we divide it by 8. i.e 8000 ÷ 8 = 1000 and 5000 ÷ 8 = 625. It is easier to divide with the power of ten as the denominator which in this case is 1000).

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