1. Fractions & Decimals Parts of a Whole Athens State University
Dr. Beth McCulloch Vinson
Athens State University
PT3 Grant Funding, Summer 2000

2. This is “one whole” square.
If we divide it in half we have two pieces. Each piece is “one-half” of the whole.

3. We write “one whole” like this:
1.0
We write the fraction “one-half” like this: 1 2

4. Everything on the left-hand side of a number refers to a whole number.
So when we write “1.0” we mean “one whole” and “no parts.”
1.0
whole
parts of a whole

5. Decimals and Place Value
A decimal is a number with a decimal point in it (6.52, 0.5, 0.01)
The value of digits in a decimal is based on the number 10
The digits to the left of the decimal point represent whole number
The numbers to the right of the decimal point represent some part of 1

6. Everything on the right-hand side of a number refers to parts of a whole.
So when we write the fraction “one-half” as a decimal number it looks like this:
0.5
0.5
0.5

7. is the decimal equivalent of the fraction
0.5
is the decimal equivalent of the fraction 1 2

8. 0.5 means that there are 0 whole numbers and there are 5 parts of a whole number.

9. 1 2 1 2
0.5
0.5
Looking at the box above you can see that = or half + half = whole

10. Let’s do fourths now.

11. This is “one whole” square. 1.0
This is that same whole square divided into “fourths”. 1 4 1 4 1 4 1 4

12. Fourths are also called quarters. There are 4 quarters in 1 dollar.
There are also quarters (fourths) in 1 whole. 1 4 1 4 1 4 1 4

13. That makes it easy to know the decimal equivalent of fourths. It is:
0.25
0.25
That makes it easy to know the decimal equivalent of fourths. It is:
0.25
0.25
0.25

14. Hundreds 1 6 4. 5 7 1; hundreds 6; tens 4; ones 5; tenths
1; hundreds
6; tens
4; ones
5; tenths
7; hundredths