Decimals Teaching Resources
Browse decimal worksheets, games and more Australian curriculum V9 resources created by primary teachers for your primary classroom!
Explore editable resources you can easily differentiate for individual learners plus maths rotations activities and engaging games to help students learn how to read and write decimals using place value and the decimal point, how to convert a decimal to a fraction and more.
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 — a 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 your students to simplify numbers, making them easier to work with!
This will be useful 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 — Small Group Bingo Game
Review how to add and subtract decimals with a printable small group bingo game.
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Estimating Decimal Sum and Differences — Year 6 Maths Mazes
Year 6 students can practise estimating solutions to decimal addition and subtraction equations with this set of maths mazes.
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Converting Percentages Year 6 Worksheet
Print a year 6 maths worksheet about converting a percent to a decimal or a fraction.
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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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Dividing Decimals Maths Mazes
Review how to divide a decimal by a decimal and a whole number with this set of maths mazes.
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Dividing Decimals by Whole Numbers Worksheet Pack
Download these dividing decimals by whole numbers worksheets to provide your students with practice using visual models and the standard algorithm.
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Lost in Decimal Woods — Decimal Number Line Interactive
Recognise and analyse decimals on a number line with an exciting self-checking interactive game.
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Diving Into Decimals Interactive Game
Use this interactive activity to take a deep dive into decimals while improving skills with decimal operations and place value concepts.
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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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Representing Tenths Worksheet
Have students demonstrate their understanding of tenths with this simple one-page worksheet.
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Representing Decimals – Interactive Picture Reveal
Use this decimal game for Year 4 to teach your students all the ways that decimals can be visually represented.
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Decimal War Card Game
Get your students comparing decimals with this fun card game for two players.
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Converting Fractions and Decimals Match-Up Activity
Have students practise how to convert a fraction to a decimal with this match-up activity perfect for maths rotations.
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Decimal Operations Maths Mats
Get students reviewing decimal operations with these engaging, puzzle-based math mats.
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Comparing Decimals – Colour by Number Worksheet
Compare decimals and create a beautiful stained-glass picture with this colour-by-number worksheet.
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Rounding Decimals on a Number Line Worksheet Pack
Teach your students how to determine missing numbers on a number line and use it to round decimals to the nearest whole number, tenth and hundredth.
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Rounding Decimals – Differentiated Colour by Code Worksheet
Guide your students to round decimals to the nearest tenth and hundredth with this differentiated colour-by-code worksheet.
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Decimals on a Number Line Poster
Help your students visualise and identify decimals on a number line with a printable decimal anchor chart.
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Fractions, Decimals and Percentages – Task Cards
Practise converting percentages into decimals and fractions with this set of 24 task cards.
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Place Value Chart - Thousandths Place
A blank place value chart to use when exploring decimal numbers.
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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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Fraction and Decimal Dominoes – Tenths and Hundredths
Reinforce students' understanding of converting fractions to decimals with this set of dominoes.
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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 Year 7 students.
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Decimal Place Value – Digital and Printable Worksheet
Get students analysing decimal place value positions with this “This or That?” worksheet.
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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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Converting Fractions and Decimals Interactive Game
Use this set of interactive slides to practise converting, ordering and solving problems with fractions and decimals.
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Comparing Decimals — Year 5 Bump Game
Compare decimals through the thousandths place with a comparing decimals game designed for year 5 students.
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Fractions and Decimals Number Line Puzzles
Practise identifying fractions and decimals on a number line with this set of 2- and 3-piece puzzles.
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Rounding Decimals – Task Cards
Round decimals to the nearest hundredth with this set of 24 task cards.
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Percent Matching Game for Year 6 Maths
Match fractions, decimals and percentages with this printable matching game for year 6.
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Complex Dot-to-Dot – Fractions and Decimals Puzzle for Year 6
Challenge year 6 students with a complex dot-to-dot where students demonstrate understanding of fractions and decimals.
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Representing Hundredths Worksheet
Have students demonstrate their understanding of hundredths with this simple one-page worksheet.