Question

Stupid decimals to fractions!!
-0.38 written as a fraction is
-6.59 written as a fraction is
0.135 written as a fraction is
-0.8 written as a fraction is
0.6 written as a fraction is
0.9 written as a fraction is
0.87 written as a fraction is

Answer 1

-0.38 = -38/100 = ??? <<< Reduce this

-6.59 = -659/100 = ??? <<< Reduce this

0.135 = 135/1000 = ??? <<< Reduce this

Hopefully you're starting to see how I'm getting these

Answer 2

The rule is:

if the last digit of the number is in the tenths place, then the number as a fraction is that number without the decimal over 10

if the last digit of the number is in the hundredths place, then the number as a fraction is that number without the decimal over 100


if the last digit of the number is in the thousandths place, then the number as a fraction is that number without the decimal over 1000


etc etc...

Answer 3

@jim_thompson5910 How do I reduce it though?

Answer 4

Are you familiar with finding the GCF?

Answer 5

Nope

Answer 6

Let's find the GCF of 38 and 100

Answer 7

List out the prime factorization of each

38: 2*19

100: 2*2*5*5

Notice the two numbers only have a 2 in common and this is the largest thing they have in common.

So the GCF of 38 and 100 is 2

Answer 8

So we divide both pieces by 2 to get

38/2 = 19

100/2 = 50

Answer 9

so -38/100 = -19/50

which means

-0.38 = -19/50

Answer 10

Oh, so you take the common number in both then divide to get the out come?

Answer 11

exactly

Answer 12

and you keep going until you can't anymore

Answer 13

That makes so much sense now. Thank you for that.

Answer 14

but if you divide out the GCF, then you won't have to worry about dividing further because you will have divided out everything that is common between the two

Answer 15

you're welcome