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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Adding and Subtracting Decimals Word Problems Worksheet
Practice solving word problems by adding and subtracting decimals to the thousandths place with this worksheet.
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Dividing with Decimals – Word Problem Task Cards
Sharpen decimal division skills while solving a variety of word problems with this set of 24 task cards.
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Multiplying with Decimals – Differentiated Worksheets
Strengthen computation skills with this set of decimal multiplication worksheets.
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Dividing Decimals Match-Up Activity
Divide decimals and find the correct quotient with this match-up activity.
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Decimal Patterns – Math Mazes
Find your way through this set of math mazes by determining the addition or subtraction pattern in a sequence of decimal numbers.
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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 Place Value Game – Find A Decimal Who...
Explore decimal place value with your students using an interactive whole-class game.
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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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Expanded Notation Puzzles - Decimals
Practice expanded notation using decimals and whole numbers with this set of 28 puzzle pieces.
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Converting Fractions and Decimals – Worksheet
Solve problems that involve converting fractions and decimals with this worksheet.
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Patterns in Place Value Worksheet
Use this place value worksheet to get your students analyzing decimal place value in numbers.
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Adding and Subtracting Decimals – Differentiated Mystery Image Worksheets
Have students practice adding and subtracting decimals with this mystery image worksheet.
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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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Rounding Decimals – Worksheet for 5th Grade
Practice rounding decimals to the nearest tenths and hundredths place with this worksheet.
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Naming Decimals Worksheet
Get students applying decimal place value skills to represent numbers to the thousandths place in standard, word and expanded form.
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Fraction, Decimal and Percentage Match-Up Game
Get students converting fractions, decimals and percentages with this hands-on maths game perfect for math centers.
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Introducing Decimal Numbers Teaching Slides
Help students understanding decimal place value and the relationship between fractions and decimals with this comprehensive teaching presentation.
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Math Investigation - Decimals and Percentages
Get your students connecting their math knowledge to the real world with this decimals and percentages party planning project.
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Decimals and Percentages Assessment
Assess students' knowledge of various decimals and percentages concepts with this four-page worksheet.
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Comparing and Ordering Decimals Interactive Activity
Get students to compare and order decimals this grocery-themed interactive digital resource, perfect for lesson introductions and wrap-ups.
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Representing Decimals – Interactive Picture Reveal
Use this decimal game for 4th grade to teach your students all the ways that decimals can be visually represented.
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Dividing Decimals by Whole Numbers Teaching Slides
Teach your students how to divide decimals by whole numbers using visual models and the standard algorithm using this step-by-step teaching presentation.
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Multiplying Decimals by Decimals Teaching Slides
Teach your students how to multiply decimals by decimals using three different strategies using this step-by-step teaching presentation for upper elementary students.
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Rounding Numbers With Decimals – Teaching Slides and Worksheet for 5th Grade
Teach your students how to round to the nearest whole number, tenth and hundredth with this set of teaching slides and accompanying worksheet.
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Estimating Decimal Sums and Differences Task Cards
Challenge your students to use rounding and benchmark values to estimate sums and differences of decimals with this set of 24 task cards.
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Plan a Halloween Party – Estimation Project
Plan your own Halloween party and practice estimating sums, differences and products of whole numbers and decimals with an engaging math project!
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Estimating Decimal Sums and Differences Interactive Activity
Take your students on a safari adventure while practicing how to estimate decimal sums and differences with this interactive activity.
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Halloween Interactive Assessment- Round to Three Decimal Places
Scare up some new assessment data when your student's round decimals to the nearest tenth, hundredth, and thousandth with a Halloween-themed rounding decimals quiz.
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Race Car Rounding With Decimals Interactive Activity for 5th Grade
Rev up your math engines and take the rounding decimals race! Download this interactive Google Slides activity and challenge your students to become a decimal rounding champion!
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Decimal Exit Tickets for 5th Grade (Place Value, Rounding, Ordering and Computation)
Assess student understanding of 5th grade decimal standards with this set of 21 exit tickets.
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Estimation With Decimal Multiplication Matching Game
Guide your students to estimate products with decimals by using this 36-card matching game.