1/4 converted to decimals?

2 Answers
Jan 11, 2018

0.25

Explanation:

1) Let's make this fraction over 100 to convert better.

1/4
=> 25/100

As 100/4=25, so multiply the fraction by 25.

Now it is much easier to convert.

25/10=2.5

So therefore just move the decimal place to the left once to get

25/100

therefore 25/100=0.25 And as 25/100=1/4 1/4 is also 0.25

Jan 12, 2018

0.25

A different approach- takes longer to explain than to do.

It is a useful tool as it may be applied in some different contexts.

Explanation:

color(blue)("Preamble")

The value of 1/4 behaves in the same way as 1-:4

But as 1 is less than 4 this gives us a bit of a problem so we need to find a way round it.

color(brown)("Something to think about")

1 has a value. Bit obvious! However, what is not obvious is that we can write 1 in many ways and we can use this in our calculation.

Example: Just picking on any number I choose 3

1=100/100= 100xx1/100

3=3xx1color(white)("dd")=3xx100/100color(white)("dd")=3xx100xx1/100color(white)("dd") = 300xx1/100

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
color(blue)("Answering the question")

color(green)(1/4 color(white)("d")->color(white)("d") (1color(red)(xx1))-:4 )

color(green)(color(white)("ddd")->(1color(red)(xx100/100))-:4 )

color(green)(color(white)("ddd")->(1color(red)(xx100xx1/100))-:4 )

For multiply and divide you can change the order of things. That is, as long as they are grouped properly. In this case grouping does not matter. a-:cxxb is the same answer as bxxa-:c Works as long as the sign follows the value.

color(green)(color(white)("ddd")->color(white)("ddd")100-:4color(red)(xx1/100))

color(green)(color(white)("ddd")->color(white)("ddddd")25color(white)("dd")color(red)(xx1/100)

color(green)(color(white)("ddd")->color(white)("dddddd") 0.25)