Fractions and Decimals Made Easy | Year 4 Maths
30 October 2026 · Pi Leo Academy
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Fractions and decimals can look like two separate topics. Often, they are simply different ways to name the same amount. A picture of one whole, divided into equal parts, helps make the connection clear.
Start with tenths and hundredths
Divide one whole into ten equal parts. Each part is one tenth, written 1/10 or 0.1. Three of those parts are 3/10 or 0.3. Now divide one whole into 100 equal parts. Each part is one hundredth, written 1/100 or 0.01.
The first place after the decimal point is the tenths place. The second is the hundredths place. In 0.37, the three represents three tenths and the seven represents seven hundredths: together, 37 hundredths.
Worked example: one quarter as a decimal
Imagine a square split into 100 equal small squares. Shade one quarter of the large square.
- There are 100 small squares altogether.
- One quarter of 100 is 25, because 100 ÷ 4 = 25.
- The shaded amount is 25/100.
- Twenty-five hundredths is written 0.25.
So 1/4 = 25/100 = 0.25. These are different names for the same amount. You can also multiply the numerator and denominator of 1/4 by 25 to make 25/100. Both parts of the fraction must change by the same factor to keep its value.
Why 0.5 and 0.50 are equal
Five tenths fill half a whole. Each tenth can be split into ten hundredths, giving 50 hundredths. That means 5/10 = 50/100, so 0.5 = 0.50. Adding a zero at the end here changes the way the number is written, not its size.
Money provides a familiar example: 50 cents is half of one dollar, or $0.50. Keep the whole clear when using pictures too. Half of a small pizza and half of a much larger pizza are the same fraction of their respective pizzas, but not the same amount of food.
A common mistake
Do not write 1/4 as 0.14 by placing the two digits after a decimal point. The fraction bar describes a relationship between numerator and denominator. To make the decimal connection, rename the fraction in tenths or hundredths where possible, or use a suitable division method.
Check your understanding
- Write 7/10 as a decimal and as a fraction with denominator 100.
- Which is larger: 0.6 or 0.45? Explain using hundredths.
Answers: 1. 0.7 and 70/100. 2. 0.6 is larger because it is 60 hundredths, while 0.45 is 45 hundredths.
Draw a hundred grid to check either answer. The picture, fraction and decimal should all describe the same shaded amount.
Your matching study notes
- Equivalent fractions and decimals: read the study notes · Download the member PDF
- Tenths, hundredths and decimal place value: read the study notes · Download the member PDF
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