K5 Learning Blog

Decimals can be expressed as a fraction. Converting decimals to fractions is usually a two-step process:

1.    Depending on the number of decimal places, convert the fraction using tenths, hundredths, thousandths, etc.
2.    Simplify the fraction to the lowest common term.

Let’s demonstrate this with an example:

The decimal is 0.4.   

Convert the fraction

Write down 0.4 divided by 1

 
Now, multiply both top and bottom by 10 for every number after the decimal point.

In our example, there is one number after the decimal point, so multiply by 10.

When the denominators in the fractions you want to subtract from each other are different, things get a little more complicated than subtracting fractions with like denominators.

Let’s say we want to subtract 1/6 from ½.

What are fractions?

A fraction is a part of a whole.  Every fraction has a denominator and a numerator.

Denominator

The bottom number of the fraction is called the denominator. It shows how many equal parts the item is divided into.

Featuring Felines!

By Sheila Welch

Our book reviewer, Sheila Welch, has been digging around for children’s books about animals and, predominantly, cats. Here are her top picks:

Find the White Horse

Find the White Horse by the popular British author Dick King-Smith, illustrated with pen and ink sketches by Larry Wilkes, is reminiscent of The Incredible Journey. All of the animals in King-Smith’s story – Squintum, a neglected Siamese cat; Lubber, an old dog saved by the cat from being euthanized; Katie, a homing pigeon; and Colleen, a purebred setter who was left tied and abandoned – are unashamedly anthropomorphized, yet retain many animal traits. For example, Squintum gobbles down a litter of baby mice and thinks of Katie, the pigeon, in terms of a meal until she proves useful as a high-flying scout. Why do they need to find the White Horse? Lubber’s owners live in a small village with a view of an oversized landmark, a gigantic horse carved into the white chalk on a huge grassy hill. The lively dialog and action-packed plot will entertain independent readers in third through fifth grades as they absorb the underlying plea for the humane treatment of animals.