Decimals

Introduction

Decimals are a way to show numbers that are not whole. They help us understand and work with parts of a whole number.

Understanding Decimals

What is a Decimal?

Decimals are numbers that have a decimal point. The decimal point separates the whole number part from the parts that are less than one. For example, $0.5$ is a decimal because it shows half of one whole.

Everyday Example

Imagine you have $1$ whole pizza. If you eat half of it, you have eaten $0.5$ of the pizza. This is a decimal showing a part of the whole.

Another Example

If you have $3$ apples and you eat one-third of an apple, you have eaten $0.33$ of an apple. This is also a decimal showing a part of a whole number.

Fun Activity

Let's have a fun activity! Get a chocolate bar and divide it into 10 equal parts. Each part represents $0.1$ of the whole chocolate bar. You can then eat different fractions of the chocolate bar and express them as decimals.

Remember

• Decimals show parts of a whole number.
• The decimal point separates the whole number part from the parts less than one.
• Decimals help us work with fractions and parts of a whole.
• Practice converting fractions to decimals for better understanding.