Fractions, Decimals and Percentages

This lesson covers converting between fractions, decimals and percentages, ordering them, and the Higher-tier skill of converting recurring decimals to fractions. These topics appear throughout the Edexcel GCSE Mathematics (1MA1) specification and are fundamental to the Number strand.

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Key Vocabulary

Term	Meaning
Fraction	A part of a whole, written as numerator/denominator
Decimal	A number written using the decimal point and place value
Percentage	A fraction out of 100, shown with the % symbol
Equivalent	Having the same value in a different form
Recurring decimal	A decimal where one or more digits repeat forever
Terminating decimal	A decimal that ends (has a finite number of digits)

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Converting Fractions to Decimals

Divide the numerator by the denominator.

Worked Example 1

Convert 3/8 to a decimal.

3 ÷ 8 = 0.375

Answer: 0.375

Worked Example 2

Convert 5/11 to a decimal.

5 ÷ 11 = 0.454545... = 0.4̇5̇ (recurring)