Decimals to Fractions

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

The Great Math Magician has agreed to let you in on the secret to his most famous trick!

Follow the steps below to turn a decimal into a fraction. Then you can be a math magician, too!

Step One

Look at the place value of the decimal numbers. Are the numbers in the tenths, hundredths, or thousandths place?

In 0.275,

• the 2 is in the tenths place,
• the 7 is in the hundredths place,
• the 5 is in the thousandths place.

Step Two

Create a fraction. The numerator will be the number after the decimal point. Use the place value to create the denominator:

Step Three

Write the fraction in its simplest form. A fraction in simplest form cannot be simplified to a smaller fraction. To simplify a fraction, find the largest number that can divide into both the numerator and the denominator.

You can divide 275 and 1000 by 25 to simplify the fraction:

Voila! 0.275 is ¹¹⁄₄₀.

Watch an interactive video from Scholastic Study Jams! (This video requires Flash Player. If you have trouble playing the video, have a parent or teacher help you download Flash Player.).

As you watch Decimal & Fraction Equivalents, from Scholastic Inc., answer the following questions on a piece of paper:

1. How do you write a decimal as a fraction?
2. What do you use for the numerator? How do you find the denominator?
3. What do you do after you make the decimal number a fraction?

After you watch the video, share your answers with a parent or teacher. The characters in the video converted decimals into fractions to compare prices. When do you think you would need to change decimals into fractions in real life? Discuss your ideas with a parent or teacher.

Next, try the practice activities in the Got It? section.