Decimals Teaching Resources
Browse decimal worksheets, math center activities, engaging games and more fun ways to bring this concept to life in your elementary classroom.
This teaching resource collection was created by the teachers on the Teach Starter team and includes activities to help students learn to convert fractions into decimals and vice versa, as well as printables that will help them learn how to read and write decimals using place value and the decimal point, how to round decimals and more!
Build students' understanding of using decimals in money and measurement with curriculum-aligned teaching resources so you can meet Common Core and state standards.
New to this concept in the math classroom, or just looking for some fresh ideas for teaching about decimals? Explore a primer from the teachers on the Teach Starter team!
What Are Decimals? A Kid-Friendly Definition
Explaining decimals to your class? Here's a kid-friendly definition that will help!
A decimal is a special way to write parts of a whole number. Decimals are a lot like fractions, but instead of using numbers like 1/2 or 1/4, we use a dot called a decimal point to separate the whole number part from the part that is less than one.
The number before the decimal tells you how many wholes you have, and the digits after the decimal point tell you how many groups of one-tenth, one-hundredth or one-thousandth you have.
One of the most common places students will encounter decimals in real life is when using money — the dollar is a whole number, while cents are a part of the whole and are typically represented beyond a decimal point.
How Do You Turn a Decimal Into a Fraction and Vice Versa?
Turning decimals into fractions and doing the reverse are both important skills for students to develop. Here are simple processes for doing just that!
How to Turn a Decimal Into a Fraction
- Write down the digits in the decimal over its place value.
- For example, if you have the decimal 0.75 (seventy-five hundredths), you would write it as 75/100.
- Simplify the fraction by finding the greatest common factor (GCF) of the numerator and denominator and dividing both by it.
- In the example above, the GCF of 75 and 100 is 25, so dividing both by 25 gives you the simplified fraction 3/4. This means 0.75 as a fraction is 3/4.
How to Turn a Fraction Into a Decimal
To turn a fraction into a decimal, your students will need to divide the numerator (top number) by the denominator (bottom number).
- Divide the numerator by the denominator.
- If the numerator does not divide evenly by the denominator, add zeroes to the dividend to continue the division to as many decimal places as needed or desired. Don't forget to add a decimal point after the digit found in the denominator!
- Round the decimal to the desired number of decimal places, if necessary.
How Do You Round Decimals?
Another skill students need to learn is the process of rounding decimals to the nearest whole number or to a specific decimal place. This will allow them to simplify numbers, making them easier to work with! This comes in handy when doing things such as rounding to the nearest dollar amount when working with money.
Rounding can also be used to get a general sense of a number without worrying about the exact value, which can be helpful in certain situations, such as estimating a budget or measurement.
To round a decimal to the nearest whole number, you need to look at the digit to the right of the decimal point.
- If that digit is 5 or greater, you round up to the next whole number.
- If that digit is 4 or less, you round down to the current whole number.
For example, let's say you want to round the decimal 3.7 to the nearest whole number. The digit to the right of the decimal point is 7, which is 5 or greater, so you round up to 4.
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Comparing Fractions, Decimals, and Percentages – Worksheet
Strengthen student understanding of how to compare fractions, decimals, and percentages with this worksheet.
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Construction Calculations – Decimal Operations Activity
Practice multiplying and dividing decimals with this 4-page math enrichment activity.
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Multiplying and Dividing Decimals Match-Up
Solve equations involving multiplication and division of decimals with this match-up activity.
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Fractions, Decimals, and Percentages – Task Cards
Practice converting percentages into decimals and fractions with this set of 24 task cards.
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Decimal Subtraction with Base-Ten Blocks – Match-Up Activity
Use base-ten blocks to model decimal subtraction with this match-up activity.
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Dividing Decimals Task Cards
Sharpen decimal division skills with this set of 24 task cards.
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Decimal Number Patterns – Differentiated Worksheets
Practice determining a pattern and next value in a numerical sequence of decimals to the hundredths place.
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Decimal Patterns – Match-Up Activity
Use this match-up activity to determine patterns and extend numerical sequences by adding and subtracting decimals.
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Decimal Place Value Game – Find A Decimal Who...
Explore decimal place value with your students using an interactive whole-class game.
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Dividing with Decimals – Differentiated Worksheets
Download this set of differentiated dividing decimals worksheet to help your students practice this key math skill.
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Estimating Decimal Sums and Differences – Math Mazes
Practice estimating solutions to decimal addition and subtraction equations with this set of math mazes.
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Multiplying Decimals Bingo
Solve for products of decimals to the hundredths place with a whole-class bingo game.
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Multiplying Decimals Math Mazes
Complete decimal multiplication problems while finding your way through this set of three math mazes.
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Multiplying Decimals Task Cards
Get your students multiplying decimals by decimals and whole numbers with this set of 24 task cards perfects for math centers.
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Multiplying Decimals – Riddle Worksheets
Get students solving decimal multiplication problems with this set of 3 differentiated riddle worksheets.
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Multiplying Decimals – Match-Up Activity
Get students multiplying decimals with this engaging card game, perfect for elementary school math centers.
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Converting Fractions and Decimals – Worksheet
Solve problems that involve converting fractions and decimals with this worksheet.
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Comparing and Ordering Decimals – Worksheet
Practice using number lines to compare and order decimals with this worksheet.
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Decimal Place Value – Digital and Printable Worksheet
Get students analyzing decimal place value positions with this “This or That?” worksheet.
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Adding and Subtracting Decimals – Word Problem Task Cards
Have students solve decimal word problems with this set of 16 task cards, perfect for math centers.
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Adding and Subtracting with Decimals – Worksheet
Practice adding and subtracting decimals to the hundredths place with this worksheet.
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Multiplying Decimals – Interactive Picture Reveal (Halloween)
Sharpen computation skills by multiplying decimals with an interactive Halloween picture reveal.
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Mega Matcher (Fractions, Decimals, and Percentages) 6th Grade Math Interactive Game
Match equivalent fractions, decimals, and percentages with this interactive game for 6th grade math with a code-cracking twist.
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Addition and Subtraction with Decimals – Task Cards
Practice adding and subtracting multi-digit decimals with this set of 16 task cards.
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Compare and Order Decimals Teaching Slides
Teach your students to compare and order decimals with this 19-slide instructional slide deck.
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Multi-Digit Whole Numbers and Decimals – Exit Tickets
Assess student understanding of multi-digit whole numbers and decimals with this set of math exit tickets.
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Decimal Notation Puzzles
Practice expanded notation, word form and standard form using decimals with this set of 13 three-piece puzzles.
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Place Value Chart - Hundredths Place
A blank place value chart to use when exploring decimal numbers.
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Number Talks - Decimal Representation Task Cards
Explore representations of decimals with your students using this set of 28 number talks task cards.
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Number Talks – Decimal Operations Task Cards
Explore decimal operations with your students using this set of 26 number talk task cards.
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Decimals Work Mat
Practice decimal concepts with this work mat for students.
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Fraction, Percentage and Decimal Circles
A set of fraction, decimal, and percentage circles to use with your students when teaching equivalency.