# Equivalent Decimals

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## What are Decimals?

Decimals are a way of representing fractions. Decimals can be divided into two types. The first is terminating decimals and the second one is non-terminating decimals. Terminating decimals are those which get terminated after some digits of decimal (.). For example, 2.34. Here, after 2 digits of a decimal, the number gets terminated hence, it’s a terminating decimal. Non-terminating decimals are those decimals that do not get terminated. For example 2.33333..., here 3 is repeating after the decimal. Equivalent decimals 4th grade, equivalent decimals games, equivalent decimals worksheets grade 5 are easily available on various ed-tech platforms online.

## What is the Decimal Equivalent?

When two decimals are representing the same fraction, they are called the decimal equivalent. In other words, equivalent decimals are decimals that are equal. Hence they are also called equal decimals.

Let us take an example: consider the decimals 0.5 and 0.50. Here the first decimal number reflects half of something if we convert the first decimal into a fraction we get. It means if we do 10 equal partitions of something out of which we are considering only 5. On the other hand, if we convert the second decimal which is 0.50 into a fraction we get $\frac{59}{100}$. It means if we do 100 equal partitions of something out of which we are considering only 50. We can also simplify both of the fraction and both will end up as $\frac{1}{2}$. Since both the decimals are representing the same fraction, they are decimal equivalent.

### Like and Unlike Decimals

Decimals can also be classified as like and unlike decimals. Like decimals are decimals that have the same number of decimal places after the decimal point. For example, 2.35 and 4.67 are like decimals because they both have the same number of decimal places and that is 2.

On the other hand, decimals are decimals that don’t have the same number of decimal places after the decimal point. For example, 2.35 and 4.7 are unlike decimals because they don’t have the same number of decimal places after the decimal point. 2.35 have 2 decimal places whereas 4.7 have only one. Students may find like and unlike decimals worksheets on the Internet. The worksheet helps students to practice questions of like and unlike decimals worksheets.

### Did You Know?

• When we place zero after the rightmost digit in the decimal number, the value of the number remains the same. Such zeros are known as trailing zeros and they don’t affect the number.

For example, 0.1 is the same as 0.10. And 0.10 is the same as 0.100. All these numbers are decimal equivalent to each other. This is because decimal numbers are equivalent to fractions.

• Keep in mind that zeros before the last digit of decimal will change the number and it’ll affect the number a lot. Such numbers can’t be decimal equivalent. For example, consider the number 0.3. Now let’s place a zero before 3. That makes the number ais 0.03.

They don’t acquire the same amount of space in the grid hence they are not equivalent.

• At the end of the 4th century BC, the Chinese first developed the decimal fraction concept. From there it spread to the Middle East and then to Europe.

Question: How Do You Make Unlike Decimals to Like Decimals?

Answer: To make unlike decimals like, first we’ll count the decimal places after the decimal in both the given decimal numbers. Then we’ll add zeros at the end of the decimal number where we find fewer digits after the decimal. We’ll add zeros until the places after the decimal point is equal. By performing this method, we can make equivalent decimals.

Let us suppose we have to make 4.31 and 16.8 equivalent. Now observe that there is only one place after the decimal point in 16.8 whereas there are 2 places after the decimal point in 4.31. So we’ll add zero to 16.8 which will make it 16.80.

Question: Is 0.75 is Equivalent to 4.5?

Answer: To check the decimal equivalent, we need to convert the decimals into fractions.

0.75 = 75/100 = 3/4

And the other one, 4.5 = 45/10 = 9/2

Now, let's make the denominator the same. We’ll do this by multiplying and dividing 2 into 9/2 which will give us 18/4. Now observe that we have two fractions. The numerator of the first one is 3 and the second one is 18. Hence they are not equivalent.

Question: What is the Decimal Equivalent?

Answer: When two decimal numbers are equivalent to each other or they represent the same fraction or they are equal, we call them equivalent decimals.