TOPIC: CHANGING NON-TERMINATING REPEATING DECIMAL INTO FRACTION

OBJECTIVE:

• At the end of the lesson, the student should be able to convert non-terminating repeating
decimal into fraction mentally or in easier and faster way.

DISCUSSION:

Repeating decimal is also called recurring decimal. This is a decimal number that has digits that
repeats forever. The part that repeats is usually shown by placing dots over the first and last digit of the
repeating pattern or lines over the repeating pattern. For example:

1.) 1/3 = 0.3̅ (The 3 repeats forever)

2.) 1/7 = 0.142857142857… (The 142857 repeats forever)

We learned how to convert the repeating decimal by the use of variable. However there is an easier
and faster way that we can even convert it mentally.

Here are the steps in converting repeating decimal into fraction form:

➢ If we have a decimal that is one digit repeating, the numerator is the repeating number and the
denominator will always be 9. If it is two digits repeating, the denominator will be 99. If it is
three digits repeating the denominator will be 999 and so on. Then change the fraction into
lowest term if necessary.
For example:

5
̅=
1.) 0.5
9

̅̅̅̅ = 45 or 5
2.) 0.45 99 11

➢ Steps in converting the decimal that has a non-repeating digit followed by a repeating
one.
1.) Determine the repeating decimal number so that when you subtract it from the original
one you will be able to eliminate the repeating digits.
2.) Subtract the repeating decimal number from the original one and convert it to fraction
form.
3.) Convert the repeating decimal number into fraction form.
4.) Add the result from step 2 and step 3.
5.) Convert to lowest term if necessary.
 Example:

Convert the following decimal into fraction form.

̅
1.) 0.8333… or 0.83

The repeating decimal is 0.333….

0.83̅ = (0.83̅ − 0.3̅) + 0.3̅

= 0.5 + 0.3̅
1 1
= +
2 3

5
=
6

̅̅̅̅
2.) 0.6121212… or 0.612

It is important to know what repeating digit we must subtract from the non-repeating digit. In
̅̅̅̅ instead we will use the repeating digit 0.21
this case we will not use the repeating digit 0.12 ̅̅̅̅ so that we
can eliminate the repeating decimal.

̅̅̅̅ = (0.6121
0.612 ̅̅̅̅- 0.2121
̅̅̅̅) + 0.21
̅̅̅̅

̅̅̅̅
= 0.4 + 0.21
4 21
= 10 + 99

606 101
= 990 or 165

ASSESSMENT:

Convert the following decimal into fraction mentally.

̅̅̅̅
1.) 0.36 2.) 0. 9222… ̅̅̅̅
3.) 0.298