How do you change 0.2 into a fraction?

2 Answers
Jul 19, 2018

0.2 written as a fraction is #2/10# which simplifies to #1/5#

Explanation:

When changing a decimal to a fraction, think of the decimal "out of 1." In mathematical terms, "out of" generally suggests division.

For example on this question, think of 0.2 as 0.2 out of 1, which would be shown as #0.2/1#

To more easily simplify this, multiply both the top and bottom by 10:

#0.2/1*10/10#

You are able to do this because #10/10# is equal to #1# and multiplying by a number and #1# results in the same number.

Then you get #2/10#. Both #2# and #10# are divisible by #2#:

#2/2=1# and #10/2=5#

So the final answer is #1/5#.

Jul 19, 2018

See below:

Explanation:

The way it is read essentially gives away the answer. #0.2# is read as

"Two tenths", which means the fraction is out of #10#. The numerator is #2#.

This can be interpreted as

#2/10#, or in simplest form, #1/5#.

Another method is to realize that we can express any number as a fraction if we put it over #1#.

#0.2/1#

Since decimals aren't generally in fractions, we can multiply the top and bottom by #10# to get rid of this:

#2/10#, which again simplifies to #1/5#.

Hope this helps!