seven eighths as a decimal
Understand the Problem
The question is asking for the decimal representation of the fraction seven eighths, which involves dividing the numerator by the denominator.
Answer
The decimal representation of $\frac{7}{8}$ is $0.875$.
Answer for screen readers
The decimal representation of the fraction $\frac{7}{8}$ is $0.875$.
Steps to Solve
- Set up the division
To convert the fraction $\frac{7}{8}$ to decimal form, we need to divide the numerator (7) by the denominator (8).
- Perform the division
Let's divide 7 by 8. Since 7 is less than 8, we start by adding a decimal point and a zero.
$$ 7.0 \div 8 = 0.875 $$
You can think of this as 7.00 divided by 8.
- Understand the long division step
When performing long division, we notice that 8 goes into 70 (from 7.0) 8 times (since $8 \times 8 = 64$). We subtract 64 from 70 to get 6. Next, bring down another 0 from the decimal, making it 60.
- Continue the long division
Now, 8 goes into 60 seven times (since $8 \times 7 = 56$). We subtract 56 from 60 to get 4. Again, bring down a 0 which gives us 40.
- Final division step
Now, 8 goes into 40 five times (since $8 \times 5 = 40$). Subtracting 40 leaves us with 0.
Thus, we have completed the division and found the decimal.
The decimal representation of the fraction $\frac{7}{8}$ is $0.875$.
More Information
The decimal representation of fractions is important in many real-life applications, such as measurements and financial calculations. Notably, $0.875$ can also be expressed as a percentage, which would be $87.5%$.
Tips
- Not adding a decimal: When the numerator is smaller than the denominator, one might forget to convert the fraction properly by adding a decimal point.
- Rounding too early: Some might round the answer too soon, leading to incorrect results. Always ensure the division is complete before rounding.
