Sept. 29, 2014 - Convert Decimals to Fractions

Monday, we learned to convert terminating and repeating decimals into fractions or mixed numbers.  First, let's have some definitions.

terminating decimals - decimals that stop. They do not repeat.  When dividing you have a remainder of 0.
examples:  0.25,  3.674

repeating decimals - decimals that repeat a number or series of numbers continually. To write a repeating decimal, you write the number or series of numbers that repeat one time and put a bar on top of the numbers that repeat.
                   __      __
examples:  0.5,   4.45

To convert a terminating decimal to a fraction you just say the decimal correctly using place value.

examples:
0.6 = 6/10 = 3/5
4.75 = 4  75/100 = 4  3/4

To convert a repeating decimal, where the entire decimal is repeating, you do what we call the "9-thing."
You put the decimal as the numerator and for each digit that is repeating in the decimal you put a 9 in the denominator.

examples:
  __
0.5 =    5/9
   __
0.63 =  63/99 = 7/11
   ___
5.363 = 5  363/999 = 5  121/333