3/4 and 0.75 look different, but they point to the same position on the number line. Use the sliders to build a fraction and see it automatically change into a decimal. Some fractions produce decimals that end exactly, while others repeat forever — explore why that happens.
Converting a fraction to a decimal is simple: divide the numerator by the denominator. For 3/4, 3 ÷ 4 = 0.75.
Some fractions divide evenly into a decimal that ends (terminating decimal), while others produce digits that repeat forever (repeating decimal, for example, 1/3 = 0.333…). The difference depends on whether the denominator, after the fraction is reduced to lowest terms, is made up only of factors 2 and 5.
Move the sliders and find which denominators produce decimals that end exactly. Pay attention to denominators made only from 2s and 5s, such as 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, and 20.