Question

What is 1/4 correct to 1 decimal place?

Answer 1

`0.3`

Explanation:

We do simple division to find this out. To make it easy, we add a couple of zeroes after a decimal point after the integer `1`. That adds no value to the integer, but makes division easy.

`1/4=1.00/4`

Now divide it as though there were no decimal point, but remember to place the decimal point properly; in this case, before two digits.

`1.00/4=0.25`

Since. we need the answer correct to one decimal place, we round the answer following the principle that if the last digit is from `0-4`, the previous digit remains unchanged, and if the last digit is from `5-9` the previous digit is increased by `1`.

`0.25-=0.3`

Answer 2

`0.3` or possibly `0.2`

Explanation:

In mathematics, we tend to round up "halves". So:

`1/4 = 0.25`

is rounded up to `0.3`

However, in accounting contexts you may encounter "round towards even" also known as "bankers' round". With that rule, "halves" are rounded up or down according to whether the result is even or odd, choosing the even option.

So in our example, `0.25` could be rounded to `0.3` or `0.2`, but an accountant would choose `0.2`.