Writing fractions as repeating decimals

The  exercise appears under the 8th Grade Math Mission. This exercise practices fluency between fractions and decimals.

Types of Problems
There are two types of problems in this exercise:


 * 1) Determine if it could be the number: This problem provides some information about a decimal and couple possible fractions. The student is to determine if each fraction could be the number, can't be the number, or must be the number.Wfard1.png
 * 2) Recognize the repetition: This problem provides a fraction that may terminate or repeat (as all rational numbers do). The student is asked to give the first six truncated decimal places of the decimal and recognize the repeating part.Wfard2.png

Strategies
An ability to divide is all that is necessary for this problem.
 * 1) A calculator defeats the spirit, but can be used.
 * 2) When a decimal terminates, the repeating part is "0."
 * 3) Fractions that have only powers of two and five in the denominator terminate, all others have repetition.
 * 4) Make sure to truncate the decimal (cut off) rather than round.

Real-life applications

 * 1) This skill can be used to help approximate answers in science applications.