Tips when teaching decimals
- work with money - explain how the coins related to ones, tenths
and hundredths
- show that the decimal point always separates the ones and the tenths
- ensure your child can read decimals. e.g. 32.46 – say “thirty-two
and forty-six hundredths.”
- explain and illustrate equivalent decimals. e.g. 0.4 = 0.40
- show how placing zeros before the leftmost digit doesn’t
change the number’s value.
i.e. 007 = 7
- show strategies for comparing decimals. e.g. line up decimal points
when stacking numbers.

Start from the left. i.e. if the tenths are bigger then there is
no need to compare the hundredths.
These tips, together with the resources on this site will help you
when teaching decimals to your child.
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