Understand the idea.
Say what each digit counts
Read a decimal either by naming its parts or by saying the digits after the point. For , say two and five hundredths, or two point zero five. The zero matters because it keeps five in the hundredths place.
When writing a spoken amount, locate each part in a place-value chart first. Two wholes and five hundredths have no tenths. Writing would put the five in the tenths place and describe a different amount.
Compare like-sized units
Compare decimals from the largest place to the smallest: whole-number parts first, then tenths, then hundredths. Stop at the first place where the digits differ. A greater amount in that place decides which decimal is greater.
An extra zero at the end of a decimal does not change its value: . This lets you compare equal-sized units. Eighty hundredths is greater than nine hundredths, so , despite having fewer written decimal places.
| Amount | Ones | Tenths | Hundredths |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.8 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| 0.09 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
See the method in action.
Keep an empty place
Write two and five hundredths as a decimal.
Worked solution
- 1
Record the whole units.
The word two names the whole-number part before the decimal point.
- 2
Write five hundredths with its empty tenths place.
A hundredth is the second decimal place, so a zero must hold the tenths column.
- 3
Combine the whole and fractional parts.
Two and five hundredths contains no tenths.
Compare amounts
Which is greater, 4.08 or 4.8?
Worked solution
- 1
Compare the whole-number parts.
Both decimals contain four wholes, so this place does not decide the comparison.
- 2
Compare their tenths.
4.08 has zero tenths and 4.8 has eight tenths; this is the first differing place.
- 3
Confirm using hundredths.
Beyond the equal four wholes, eighty hundredths is greater than eight hundredths.
Try it yourself.
Check your understanding
Write nine hundredths as a decimal.
Show answer & reasoning
Nine hundredths is . There are no whole units or tenths, so the zeros keep nine in the hundredths column.
Keep practising
6 worksheet questions · 8 marks
Read the questions online
- Write nine hundredths as a decimal.1 mark
- Write 0.90 in words.1 mark
- Write three and four hundredths as a decimal.1 mark
- Which is greater, 6.07 or 6.7?1 mark
- Order 0.15, 0.51 and 0.05 from least to greatest.2 marks
- The chart has 2 ones, 0 tenths and 6 hundredths. A student writes 2.6. Correct the number and explain.2 marks
Read the worked solutions
Equivalent correct methods earn the corresponding marks. Include units where asked.
- Write nine hundredths as a decimal.1 mark
Put zero in the tenths place and nine in the hundredths place.
- Write 0.90 in words.1 mark
Nine tenths and zero extra hundredths equal ninety hundredths.
Ninety hundredths, or nine tenths. - Write three and four hundredths as a decimal.1 mark
Use 3 ones, 0 tenths and 4 hundredths.
- Which is greater, 6.07 or 6.7?1 mark
The whole parts match; seven tenths is more than zero tenths.
- Order 0.15, 0.51 and 0.05 from least to greatest.2 marks
Compare the tenths: zero, one and five.
- The chart has 2 ones, 0 tenths and 6 hundredths. A student writes 2.6. Correct the number and explain.2 marks
A zero is needed in the empty tenths place. Without it, the 6 counts tenths.
Curriculum reference & lesson scope
Australian Curriculum v9 and SA Curriculum Mathematics
Tenths/hundredths; representations; notation; fraction connections.
Official curriculum source ↗