Zero and the numbers 1 -9 make up the set of whole numbers. But not every number is a whole number. Decimals, like fractions, are a way of writing numbers that are larger or smaller than whole numbers. Decimals are represented by a symbol called a decimal point. Numbers such as 6.5, 2.75, and 3.675 are decimals.
As you move right from the decimal point, each place value is 1/10 the value of the number to its left. The first number to the right of the decimal point is in the tenths place. Tenths are tenths of one whole. Ten tenths are equal to one whole.
The second number to the right of the decimal point is in the hundredths place. A hundredth is one hundredth of a whole. One hundred hundredths make up a whole.
The third number to the right of the decimal point is in the thousandths place. A thousandth is one thousandth of a whole. One thousand thousandths make up a whole.
Decimal Lesson Plans
Decimal Interactive Activities