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.
- Plus Plan
Compare and Order Decimals Teaching Slides
Teach your students to compare and order decimals with this 19-slide instructional slide deck.
- Plus Plan
Rounding Numbers With Decimals Teaching Slides and Worksheet
Teach your students how to round to the nearest whole number, tenth and hundredth with this set of teaching slides and accompanying worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Adding and Subtracting Decimals — Small Group Bingo Game
Review how to add and subtract decimals with a printable small group bingo game.
- Plus Plan
Comparing Fractions, Decimals and Percentages – Worksheet
Strengthen student understanding of how to compare fractions, decimals and percentages with this worksheet.
- Free Plan
Place Value Chart - Thousandths Place
A blank place value chart to use when exploring decimal numbers.
- Plus Plan
Multiplying Decimals – Riddle Worksheets
Get students solving decimal multiplication problems with this set of 3 differentiated riddle worksheets.
- Plus Plan
Decimal Operations Maths Mats
Get students reviewing decimal operations with these engaging, puzzle-based math mats.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
Decimal War Board Game
Compare decimals by means of numerals, words and Base 10 block representations with this printable board game.
- Plus Plan
Naming Decimals Worksheet
Get students applying decimal place value skills to represent numbers to the thousandths place in standard, word and expanded form.
- Plus Plan
Comparing Decimals – Colour by Number Worksheet
Compare decimals and create a beautiful stained-glass picture with this colour-by-number worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Decimals on Number Lines Bump Game for Year 5
Review how to identify and place decimals on a number line with a set of printable maths games.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
Rounding Decimals – Task Cards
Round decimals to the nearest hundredth with this set of 24 task cards.
- Plus Plan
Fractions, Decimals and Percentages – Task Cards
Practise converting percentages into decimals and fractions with this set of 24 task cards.
- Plus Plan
Representing Hundredths Worksheet
Have students demonstrate their understanding of hundredths with this simple one-page worksheet.
- Free Plan
Dividing Decimals Maths Mazes
Review how to divide a decimal by a decimal and a whole number with this set of maths mazes.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
Comparing Decimals — Year 5 Bump Game
Compare decimals through the thousandths place with a comparing decimals game designed for year 5 students.
- Plus Plan
Lost in Decimal Woods — Decimal Number Line Interactive
Recognise and analyse decimals on a number line with an exciting self-checking interactive game.
- Plus Plan
Decimals on Number Lines Interactive Mystery Picture
Sharpen numeracy skills by identifying decimals on a number line with an interactive mystery picture reveal.
- Plus Plan
Percent Matching Game for Year 6 Maths
Match fractions, decimals and percentages with this printable matching game for year 6.
- Plus Plan
Number Talks – Decimal Operations Task Cards
Explore decimal operations with your students using this set of 26 number talk task cards.
- Plus Plan
Fraction and Decimal Dominoes – Tenths and Hundredths
Reinforce students' understanding of converting fractions to decimals with this set of dominoes.
- Plus Plan
Representing Tenths Worksheet
Have students demonstrate their understanding of tenths with this simple one-page worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Fraction, Percentage and Decimal Wheels
Explore equivalent fractions, decimals and percentages with this set of wheels perfect for hands-on learning.
- Plus Plan
Decimal Place Value Game – Find A Decimal Who...
Explore decimal place value with your students using an interactive whole-class game.
- Plus Plan
Decimals on a Number Line Poster
Help your students visualise and identify decimals on a number line with a printable decimal anchor chart.
- Plus Plan
Fractions and Decimals Number Line Puzzles
Practise identifying fractions and decimals on a number line with this set of 2- and 3-piece puzzles.