# What is 1/5 as a decimal?

## What is an equivalent fraction?

Equivalent fractions are different fractions that simplify to the same basic fraction. The equivalent fraction is obtained by multiplying the same number to the numerator and the denominator.

We use the concept of the equivalent fraction to convert the given fraction to a suitable fraction and then write it as a decimal.

Step 1: Look at the denominator of the fraction. If the number in the denominator is a factor of the numbers 10,100, 1000…… etc., then the given fraction can be converted to decimal without division.

Step 2: Find the number that has to be multiplied to the denominator to make it into any of the values with 1 followed by zeroes ( 10,100,1000,……).

Step 3: Multiply the same value to the numerator.

Step 4: The number of zeros in the denominator is the number of digits the decimal point should be moved to the left in the numerator.

We can see that 5 should be multiplied by 20 to make it 100.

$$\frac{\mathbf1}{\mathbf5}\boldsymbol=\frac{\mathbf1\boldsymbol\times\mathbf{20}}{\mathbf5\boldsymbol\times\mathbf{20}}\boldsymbol=\frac{\mathbf{20}}{\mathbf{100}}$$

As we have two zeros in the denominator, move the decimal point in the numerator by 2 digits.

$$\frac{\mathbf{20}}{\mathbf{100}}\boldsymbol=\mathbf0\boldsymbol.\mathbf{20}$$

## Remember

Here are some common terms you should be familiar with.

• In the fraction $$\frac15$$, the number 1 is the dividend (our numerator)
• The number 5 is our divisor (our denominator)

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