In the previous chapter, we learned about whole numbers and how to perform basic arithmetic operations with whole numbers. However, measurements and calculations of quantities, values, amounts, etc., cannot always be represented by whole numbers. Most of these involve portions of whole numbers, represented by fractions and decimal numbers.
Fractions and decimal numbers express values that are a portion of a whole number. Fractions are widely used throughout mathematics, including measurement, probability, and data applications. Decimal numbers are a special type of fraction that express numbers as a portion of powers of 10 (10, 100, 1,000, etc.).
Fractions and decimal numbers have different benefits. Fractions can be more precise than decimal numbers; for example, it is impossible to exactly represent the fraction [latex]\displaystyle>[/latex] as a decimal number.
However, reading, writing, and performing arithmetic operations with decimal numbers is easier than with fractions. In addition, it is easier to determine the magnitude of numbers when they are expressed as decimal numbers rather than as fractions. For example, it is easier to recognize that the decimal number 7.75, as opposed to its fractional form [latex]\displaystyle>[/latex], lies between the whole numbers 7 and 8.
Unless otherwise indicated, this chapter is an adaptation of the eTextbook Foundations of Mathe matics (3 rd ed.) by Thambyrajah Kugathasan, published by Vretta-Lyryx Inc ., with permission. Adaptations include supplementing existing material and reordering chapters.
Fundamentals of Business Math Copyright © 2023 by Lisa Koster and Tracey Chase is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
