| Objective: Students will
be able to define decimal numbers, and compare them.
Decimal is a real number expressed in base 10. It is composed of digits
and one decimal point. Each digit in relation to the decimal point has
a particular value. Since decimal is a base 10 number, each place has
a value that is either ten times larger than the one on its right, or
ten times smaller than the one on its left.
As with all other real numbers, decimals can be read on a number line.
Decimals are compared through the following steps:
 Step 1: Find
the greatest place values of the decimals.
Example: Compare 0.21 and 0.068.
The greatest place value of 0.21 is 2 at the tenths place. The greatest
place value of 0.068 is 6 at the hundredths place. Tenths place has a
value ten times larger than that of hundredths place, so 0.21 is greater
than 0.068.
Answer: 0.21 > 0.068
Step 2: If
the greatest place values of the decimals are the same, find the next
place values until a difference is observed.
Example: Compare 0.354 and 0.359
The greatest place value of 0.354 is 3 at the tenths place. The greatest
place value of 0.359 is also 3 at the tenths place. In addition, the hundredths
places of both 0.354 and 0.359 are 5. However, the thousandths place of
0.354 is 4 and that of 0.359 is 9. Thus, 0.354 is less than 0.359.
Answer: 0.354 < 0.359
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