Is 3/8 as a decimal (rounded) 0.38? (No good in converting)

1 Answer
Apr 13, 2018

Short answer, yes. Long answer, provided.

Explanation:

0.380.38 would be equal to 38/10038100. There are two zeros, so you move the decimal over twice.

When you see 3/838, you should think 33 divided by 88.

To solve this without a calculator, divide .8.8 into 33 and move the decimal place.

0.8 * 3 = 2.40.83=2.4

This is close, but not quite 33. 2.42.4 is 0.60.6 away from 33. 0.60.6 is 75%75%, or 0.750.75, of 0.80.8. Or you could look at it as 6/8 = 3/4 = 75/100 = 75%68=34=75100=75%

3/0.8 = 3.7530.8=3.75

We determined the 33 because 0.8 *30.83 is the highest whole number we can multiply by before surpassing our goal of 33.

We determined the 0.750.75 because we could only add 0.60.6 to get to our goal of 33 instead of 0.80.8, and 0.60.6 is 75%75%, or 0.750.75, of 0.80.8.

Now move the decimal place back over to the right by one since we removed a decimal from 0.80.8, making it 88 again.

3/8 = 0.37538=0.375