Decimals- Decimals and Place Value

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     You can help your child understand decimals by understanding basic place value concepts.

     Decimals are another way to show fractional parts.  Decimals can easily be understood as fractions over powers of ten.

     Before discussing decimals, it is important that your child has a good understanding of place value. 

     The digits to the right of a decimal point in a number are in a specific decimal place.  For example 0.46 is a decimal number.  When there is a zero (e.g. 0.46) or no number (.46) to the left of the decimal point, it is understood that the decimal has a value of less than 1.  We would read this number as ‘point four six’.

     Let’s take the following decimal, 0.7 for example.  When we refer to place value, we determine that the 7 is in the tenths place (notice it is tenths not tens).  So, the decimal 0.7 could also be written as 7/10, 0.4 would be 4/10 etc...                                                                               

     The place to the right of the tenths place is the hundredths place (not hundreds).  For example, in the number 0.27, the 2 is in the tenths place and the 7 is in the hundredths place.  The decimal 0.27 can be written as 27/100, 0.09 could be written as 9/100

and so on. 

     When there is a number to the left of the decimal point, it is similar to a mixed number and fraction.  So, for example, 58.29 would be written as the fraction 58 29/100.

     The place to the right of the hundredths is the thousandths (not thousands).  For example, in the number 0.008, the 8 is in the thousandths place.  We can write the number 0.008 as    

   8   , or the number 0.456 as 456 .

1000                                         1000

     Understanding the place value of decimals will help your child understand both decimals and fractions.

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Tutorgiant.com provides complete Decimal lessons with worksheets.

See some of the lessons in our video library.

DECIMALS - Lesson (A) Tenths (Grade 4)
DECIMALS - Lesson (B) Hundredths (Grade 5)
DECIMALS - Lesson (C) Thousandths (Grade 6)
DECIMALS - Lesson (D) Adding/Subtracting (Grades 4-5)

DECIMALS - Lesson (D2) Adding/Subtracting - Decimal Problems (Grades 4-5)

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 Learn'Em Good - Fractions and Decimals - by Stuart Ackerman MSc.Ed.,B.A.

Easy to Use Lessons and Worksheets to Help Improve Your Grade 1-8 Child's Fraction and Decimal Skills