Decimal numbers are numbers that include a decimal point (.) to show values that are less than one whole. The digits to the right of the decimal point show parts of a whole, such as tenths, hundredths, or thousandths.
The decimal point separates whole numbers from fractional parts. Each place to the right of the decimal is ten times smaller than the one before it.
To write a decimal number in word form, read the whole number part first, say “and” for the decimal point, then read the digits to the right of the decimal as one number followed by the name of the last place value.
Never say “point” when writing decimals in word form. The word “and” is used only for the decimal point in number names.
Each digit to the right of the decimal point has a specific place value. Understanding these helps you read and write decimals correctly in both standard and word forms.
Each place value is one-tenth of the place to its left. For example, one hundredth is one-tenth of a tenth.
Here are some examples showing how to write decimal numbers as words correctly:
When the decimal part has zeros, say and write only the nonzero digits. For example, 8.05 is “eight and five hundredths,” not “eight and five thousandths.”
Decimals are used every day to show parts of a whole in measurements, money, and data. Knowing how to read and write them helps you understand real-world numbers accurately.
Decimals help describe exact amounts. In money, the hundredths place represents cents; in measurement, it represents small parts of units.