Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces (ALEKS) Practice Exam

How do you convert a decimal to a fraction?

1. By writing it as a fraction with a denominator based on the place value of the last digit

2. By rounding it to the nearest whole number

3. By multiplying it by 100 and placing the result over 100

4. By adding the decimal to the previous whole number

The correct answer is: By writing it as a fraction with a denominator based on the place value of the last digit

Converting a decimal to a fraction involves expressing the decimal value as a ratio of two integers. The correct method is to analyze the decimal's last digit to determine its place value. Specifically, if you take a decimal such as 0.75, the last digit '5' is in the hundredths place, indicating that the entire decimal can be represented as 75/100. Thus, this method of writing the decimal as a fraction with a denominator that corresponds to the place value of the last digit is fundamentally accurate. For decimals, this provides a clear way to convert them into fractions, ensuring that the fraction accurately represents the decimal's value based on its decimal representation. This method also allows for simplification of the fraction if necessary, which maintains the equivalent value. The other choices do not properly address the accurate conversion of decimals. Rounding changes the value of the decimal, thus affecting its representation as a fraction. Multiplying by 100 might work for some decimals but is not a standard method, nor does it apply universally. Adding the decimal to a whole number fails to provide a fraction representation and may create confusion regarding the mathematical relationship between the two numbers.