Fraction conversion

Fractions are numbers with a numerator (the number above) and a denominator (the number below).

Example:

1/2 , 3/4 , 2/4 , 6/8 , 1/3

The easiest way to convert a fraction into a decimal is to use the calculator. You just get your calculator and input the number by dividing the numerator with its denominator.

On the other hand, there is also a way to “manually” convert a fraction into a decimal. Here are the steps to do it:

1. Search for a number that you can multiply with the denominator (the number below) to make it 10, or 100 or 1000 or any number 1 followed by a 0.
2. When you have found that number, use it to multiply both the numerator and the denominator.
3. Now you have a new numerator and a denominator that contain zeros. You can write the decimal number using only the numerator and counting the zeros of denominator, you can place the decimal point (Move one space from the right for every zero in the denominator).

To help you understand the steps above, here is an example:

Convert 1/4 into a decimal

1. We can multiply 25 with the denominator 4 to make it 100.
2. Multiplying both the numerator and the denominator with 25 will give us 25/100
3. Now that we have a denominator having two zeros, we can copy the numerator and move the decimal point two places from the right. So 25 becomes 0.25

We have now ¼ converted to its decimal which is 0.25

Examples:

1. Convert ¾ to decimal
   = 3 x 25
      4 x 25
   = 75/100
   = 0.75
   


2. Convert ½ to decimal
   = 1 x 50
      2 x 50
   = 50/100
   = 0.5
   


3. Convert 2/5 to decimal
   = 2 x 20
      5 x 20
   = 40/100
   = 0.4
   


4. Convert 2/8 to decimal
   = 2 x 125
      8 x 125
   = 250/1000
   = 0.25
   


5. Convert 1/5 to decimal
   = 1 x 20
      5 x 20
   = 20/100
   = 0.2
   

Decimal conversion

Now that we know how to convert fractions into decimals, let us try the other way around.

Converting a decimal to its fraction is easy with the following steps:

1. Keep in mind that each whole number has a denominator of 1. For example, 2 is also equal to 2/1. Thus, we can write a decimal this way:Decimal/1
2. Next, multiply both the top and bottom numbers with 10 for each number after the decimal point.
3. Reduce the fraction to its lowest term or just simplify.

Here is an example to show you how conversion of a decimal is done.

Convert 0.25 to fraction

1. We write the decimal into 0.25/1
2. Since there are two numbers after the decimal point, we multiply both the top and bottom numbers with 100 because 100 has two zeros.
   0.25 x 100
   1   x 100
   The resulting fraction is 25/100
   
3. Now that we have a fraction, we can reduce it to its lowest term or simplify.
   25/100 = ¼

Examples:

1. Convert 0.50 to fraction
   = 0.50 x 100
         1x 100
   = 50/100
   = ½
   
   
2. Convert 0.75 to fraction
   = 0.75 x 100
        1x 100
   = 75/100
   = ¾
   
   
3. Convert 0.625 to fraction
   = 0.625 x 1000
         1x 1000
   = 625/1000
   = 5/8
   
   
4. Convert 0.45 to fraction
   = 0.45 x 100
         1x 100
   = 45/100
   = 9/20
   
   
5. Convert 0.6 to fraction
   = 0.6 x 10
         1x 10
   = 6/10
   = 3/5