Converting Common Fractions to

Decimals
Below is a step-by-step process (algorithm) of how to convert a fraction
into a decimal.

* Reminder – decimals are written as tenths, hundredths,

𝟏 𝟏 𝟏
thousandths,… , , , 𝒆𝒕𝒄.*
𝟏𝟎 𝟏𝟎𝟎 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎

Example:

𝟏
Write as a decimal
𝟐

1 = _?_ 2 goes into 10 how many times? 5

2 = 10 5x1=5

𝟏×𝟓 𝟓 𝟓
Therefore = , is written as a decimal is 0.5
𝟐×𝟓 𝟏𝟎 𝟏𝟎

What happens when the numbers aren’t as simple? Lets try another example.

Example:

𝟑
Write as a decimal __________
𝟓

3 × 20 = ? 5 goes into 100 how many times? 20

5 × 20 = 100 20 x 5 = 100

𝟑 × 𝟐𝟎 𝟔𝟎 𝟔𝟎
Therefore = , is written as a decimal is 0.60
𝟓 × 𝟐𝟎 𝟏𝟎𝟎 𝟏𝟎𝟎
What happens when the numbers still aren’t as simple?
Let’s try another example.

Example:

𝟏
Write as a decimal ___________
𝟖

1 × 125 = ?__ 8 does not go into 100 evenly.

8 × 125 = 1000 Let’s try a different way.

𝟏𝟐𝟓
𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎
= 𝑖𝑠 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑛 𝑎𝑠 𝑎 𝑑𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑙 𝑖𝑠 0.125

However, 1 divided by 8 = 0.125.

Now, you’ve found the decimal the easy way.

Algorithm:
Numerator
Denominator

Numerator divided by denominator = decimal

Now you try.

𝟒
= ______________ 4 divided by 5 = _______
𝟓

𝟑
= _______________ 3 divided by 8 = _______
𝟖