Representing, Ordering and Adding/Subtracting Decimals

Ø  Often fifth graders have difficulty naming decimal fractions and are unable to provide the correct word form.

Ø  They may not be able to show the relation of a decimal expression to the whole.

Ø  Students have difficulty comparing decimals and ordering them.  Some students rank the numbers based on the number of digits, others treat them as whole numbers when assigning a value, ignoring the decimal completely. 

 

Ideas for Instruction

·       Students need constant exposure to naming and representing decimal fractions correctly. Teachers need to name these values consistently and appropriately, thus reinforcing place value.

·       Use tools such as base –ten blocks and money to effectively represent fractions.

·       A meter stick is another tool that can be used and makes a nice connection between decimal fractions and measurement.

·       Digi-Blocks are specially designed to show a numeric representation from ten thousand through hundredths.


Home

Counting with Word Numbers

Thinking Addition means "Join Together" and Subtraction means "Take Away"

Renaming and Regrouping when Adding and Subtracting Two - Digit Numbers

Misapplying Addition and Subtraction Strategies to Multiplication and Division

Multiplying Two - Digit Factors by Two - Digit Factor

Understanding the Division Algorithm

Understanding Fractions

Adding and Subtracting Fractions