Decimals, Fractions and Percentages

The decimal system, which is based on the number 10, is the system many countries of the world use. Decimal points are a way of representing numbers that are in between whole numbers and they are divided up into 10 and multiples of 10. The more zeros directly after the decimal point and before the non-zero digit the smaller the number’s value.

Fractions are a way of representing numbers which are parts of whole numbers. The top number, which is known as the numerator, shows how many equal parts you have. The bottom number, which is known as the denominator, shows the total number of equal parts the whole is split into. Here are some examples of fractions.

Literally, per cent means ‘out of 100.’ Percentages are a way of representing a number or amount of something in relative terms, with 100 per cent being one whole unit. A percentage can represent almost any number or amount, including fractions and decimals.