Common fractions do have some significance aside from Ye Olde English
system, but those uses would not be common and the teaching of them
could be relegated to more advanced courses in mathematics. It would be
easier to teach when students had already studied algebra, for example.
(Exceptions for the common fractions "one half" and "one quarter" could
certainly be made without negating my arguments above.)
Bill,
I agree that for the purposes of measurement decimals are better than common
fractions for representing non-integral values
However, imagine you are a math teacher and were teaching decimals.
How would you explain to your pupils the meaning of numbers like 0.2, 4.5,
2.342 etc
Remember you have to do with this without resorting to common fractions.
Phil Hall
