How would you explain to your pupils the meaning of numbers like 0.2, 4.5, 2.342 etc?
1/5, 4 1/2 or, if you were being awkward, 9/2. However, why on earth would you need 2 171/500 of something? And if you were teaching with the decimal system in any case, what would be the point? Without rounding, 1/3 becomes 0.3333333333333 and 1/7 becomes 0.142857142. What's wrong with 0.33 or 33% or 0.14? Accurate enough for most people's needs. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Philip S Hall" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, October 10, 2005 8:19 PM Subject: [USMA:34785] Re: fractions > > 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 >
