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Decimals A Decimal Number (based on the number 10) contains a Decimal Point. Place Value

To understand decimal numbers you must first know about Place Value.

When we write numbers, the position (or "place") of each number is important.

In the number 327:

the "7" is in the Units position, meaning just 7 (or 7 "1"s), the "2" is in the Tens position meaning 2 tens (or twenty), and the "3" is in the Hundreds position, meaning 3 hundreds.

Place Value "Three Hundred Twenty Seven" keft 	As we move left, each position is 10 times bigger! From Units, to Tens, to Hundreds

... and ... As we move right, each position is 10 times smaller. right From Hundreds, to Tens, to Units

decimals-tenths

But what if we continue past Units?

What is 10 times smaller than Units?

1/10 ths (Tenths) are!

But we must first write a decimal point, so we know exactly where the Units position is: 	tenths

"three hundred twenty seven and four tenths"

but we usually just say "three hundred twenty seven point four"

And that is a Decimal Number!

Have a play with decimal numbers yourself: View Larger Decimal Point

The decimal point is the most important part of a Decimal Number. It is exactly to the right of the Units position. Without it, we would be lost ... and not know what each position meant.

Now we can continue with smaller and smaller values, from tenths, to hundredths, and so on, like in this example:

Large and Small

So, our Decimal System lets us write numbers as large or as small as we want, using the decimal point. Numbers can be placed to the left or right of a decimal point, to indicate values greater than one or less than one. 17.591	The number to the left of the decimal point is a whole number (17 for example) As we move further left, every number place gets 10 times bigger. The first digit on the right means tenths (1/10). As we move further right, every number place gets 10 times smaller (one tenth as big). Play with it ...

See decimals on the Zoomable Number Line Definition of Decimal

The word "Decimal" really means "based on 10" (From Latin decima: a tenth part).

We sometimes say "decimal" when we mean anything to do with our numbering system, but a "Decimal Number" usually means there is a Decimal Point. Ways to think about Decimal Numbers ... ... as a Whole Number Plus Tenths, Hundredths, etc

You could think of a decimal number as a whole number plus tenths, hundredths, etc: Example 1: What is 2.3 ?

On the left side is "2", that is the whole number part. The 3 is in the "tenths" position, meaning "3 tenths", or 3/10 So, 2.3 is "2 and 3 tenths"

Example 2: What is 13.76 ?

On the left side is "13", that is the whole number part. There are two digits on the right side, the 7 is in the "tenths" position, and the 6 is the "hundredths" position So, 13.76 is "13 and 7 tenths and 6 hundredths"

... as a Decimal Fraction

Or, you could think of a decimal number as a Decimal Fraction.

A Decimal Fraction is a fraction where the denominator (the bottom number) is a number such as 10, 100, 1000, etc (in other words a power of ten)

So "2.3" would look like this: 23 10 And "13.76" would look like this: 1376 100

... as a Whole Number and Decimal Fraction

Or, you could think of a decimal number as a Whole Number plus a Decimal Fraction. So "2.3" would look like this: 2 	 and 3 10 And "13.76" would look like this: 13 	 and 76 100

Those are all good ways to think of decimal numbers.