A fraction is just a way of sharing something fairly — 1/2 of a pizza is exactly the same amount whether you call it a half or 2/4. Decimals are fractions written a different way. Once you can switch between them, both become easy.
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Different fractions can be the exact same amount. 1/2, 2/4 and 4/8 are all equivalent — one half of anything.
1/2 = 2/4 = 4/8
Multiply (or divide) the top AND bottom of a fraction by the same number, and its value never changes.
🪜 Simplifying a fraction
Same denominator (bottom number)? Just compare the top numbers. Different denominators? Cross-multiply to compare safely.
Adding with different denominators: first change both fractions to the SAME denominator (use their LCM), then add the top numbers only.
A decimal is a fraction with 10, 100 or 1000 as its bottom number, written using a dot instead.
| Fraction | Decimal |
|---|---|
| 1/2 | 0.5 |
| 1/4 | 0.25 |
| 3/4 | 0.75 |
| 1/10 | 0.1 |
| 1/5 | 0.2 |
Comparing decimals trap: 0.5 is bigger than 0.45, even though "45" looks like a bigger number than "5". Compare the tenths digit first: 5 tenths beats 4 tenths.
12 IMO-style questions on fractions and decimals. 🍀
