VocabularyBasePractice words

Subject

Decimal vocabulary for math students

Decimals come with their own vocabulary, from place-value words like tenths and hundredths to operations like rounding and converting. This list gives students the terms they need to talk through decimal problems, read place-value charts, and explain their reasoning in math class.

Practice these words ↗Take a quiz

Decimal vocabulary for math students

25 words
WordMeaningIn a sentenceSave
decimaladjectiveRelating to a number system based on units of ten, or a fraction written using a point followed by tenths, hundredths, and so on.Please round your answer to two decimal places.
fractionnounA number written as one quantity divided by another, with a numerator and a nonzero denominator.The fraction 3/4 represents three of four equal parts of a whole.
tenthsnounThe place value position just after the decimal point, representing one of ten equal parts of a whole.In the number 3.7, the digit 7 is in the tenths place.
hundredthsnounThe place value of the second digit after a decimal point, representing units of one hundredth.In the decimal 0.47, the digit 7 is in the hundredths place.
thousandthsnounUnits representing one part out of a thousand, used in decimals and precise measurements.The measurement was accurate to three thousandths of an inch.
decimal pointnounThe punctuation mark that separates the whole number part of a number from its fractional part.Be careful to place the decimal point correctly when converting units.
place valuenounThe value of a digit based on its position within a number, such as ones, tens, or hundreds.Understanding place value helps students see why the 3 in 35 means thirty.
roundingnounThe process of adjusting a number to the nearest whole number, ten, or other convenient value.After rounding, the average score of 87.6 became 88 for the report.
estimateverbTo roughly calculate or judge the value, size, amount, or cost of something.The contractor estimated that the renovation would take about six weeks to finish.
numeratornounThe number or expression above the fraction bar, indicating what is divided by the denominator.The numerator of 5/8 is 5.
denominatornounThe number or expression below the fraction bar, indicating what the numerator is divided by.The denominator of 7/10 is 10.
percentnounOne part in every hundred, used to express a proportion or rate.Only ten percent of the students missed the deadline for their essays.
rationounA comparison of two quantities by division.The ratio of red beads to blue beads is 2 to 3.
whole numbernounA number without fractions or decimals, such as 0, 1, 2, or 3.Round your answer to the nearest whole number before writing it down.
remaindernounThe part of something that is left over after the rest has been used, removed, or accounted for.He spent the remainder of the afternoon cleaning out the garage.
digitnounAny of the numerals from 0 to 9 used alone or together to write numbers.The number 4,208 has four digits arranged in a specific order.
equivalentadjectiveEqual in value, meaning, importance, or effect, though not necessarily identical in form.Ten dollars is roughly equivalent to eight euros at today's exchange rate.
convertverbTo change something from one form, use, or system into another, or to change a person's beliefs or religion.The old factory was converted into loft apartments after the company closed.
repeating decimalnounA decimal number in which one or more digits repeat infinitely in a set pattern.The fraction one-third equals 0.333..., a repeating decimal where the digit three repeats forever.
terminating decimalnounA decimal number that has a finite number of digits after the decimal point rather than continuing forever.The fraction one-half is a terminating decimal because it equals exactly 0.5.
decimal expansionnounThe representation of a number as a sequence of digits following a decimal point.The decimal expansion of one-third repeats endlessly as the digits 0.333.
exponentnounIn mathematics, a number placed above and to the right of another number, showing how many times it is multiplied by itself.In the expression 2 to the power of 3, the exponent 3 tells us to multiply 2 by itself three times.
notationnounA system of symbols used to represent information, especially in music, mathematics, or science.Musical notation lets performers read a piece exactly as the composer intended.
precisionnounThe quality of being exact, accurate, and free from unnecessary error or vagueness.Surgeons must operate with extreme precision to avoid damaging nearby tissue.
significant figurenounA digit in a number that contributes to its precision, including all nonzero digits and certain zeros.Rounding 3.146 to three significant figures gives 3.15, since the fourth digit is dropped.

Place value words

Every digit after a decimal point has a name based on its place value. The first digit is in the tenths place, the second is in the hundredths place, and the third is in the thousandths place. Understanding place-value words makes it much easier to round a decimal, compare two decimals, or convert one into a fraction.

Frequently asked questions

What is the vocabulary word for the numbers after a decimal point?

Those digits are described by their place value, starting with tenths, then hundredths, then thousandths, depending on how many places they sit past the decimal point.