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What Is an Easy Way to Change Decimals Into Fractions?

You can easily turn a decimal into a fraction if you follow one simple rule. The number of decimal places to the right of the decimal point determines the number of zeros in the denominator. The denominator, which is the bottom number of a fraction, will always begin as a multiple of 10. The number being converted is the numerator, or the top number.
  1. Decimals Less Than One

    • The decimal 0.85 becomes (85/100). As there were two numbers after the decimal point, there are two zeros following the one in the denominator. This fraction can be reduced by dividing both the numerator and denominator by 5: ((85/5) / (100/5) = 17/20).

    Decimals Greater Than One

    • Using the conversion rule, 1.18 equals (118/100) which can be reduced by dividing both terms by 2, resulting in (59/50). Since 59 is a prime number, and can only be divided by one and itself, that is as far as this fraction can be reduced. It can also be written as (1 9/50).

    Very Small Numbers

    • Numbers such as 0.00036 are converted in the same way. This decimal becomes (36/100000). Adding the places to the right of the decimal point always gives the correct amount of zeros in the denominator. This fraction is divisible by 4, resulting in a final fraction of (9/25000).

    Complex Numbers

    • (0.25 1/4) has an additional fraction of a number at the end of the decimal. It converts to ((25 1/4)/100). Convert (25 1/4) to a complete fraction by multiplying the whole number by the denominator (4 X 25) = 100 and adding that to the value of the fraction 1/4: (100/4 + 1/4 = 101/4). This number is now multiplied by the inverse of the denominator, following the rule for dividing fractions: ((101/4) X (1/100)) = (101/400).

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