Decimal Detectives: Thousandths to Rounding
Year 5 | Ages 9–10 | Beginner
Instructions: Work through each activity carefully. Use the place-value columns to help you read, write, compare and calculate with decimals. Show your thinking in the answer boxes where helpful.
Read and Write Decimals
Read each decimal aloud by naming the whole-number part, then the tenths, hundredths or thousandths. Write each number in words, or write the words as a decimal, as instructed.
1. Write 3.407 in words.
2. Write 0.056 in words.
3. Write “six and twenty-three hundredths” as a decimal.
4. Write “four hundred and eight thousandths” as a decimal.
Thousandths Place Value
The first digit after the decimal point is tenths, the second is hundredths and the third is thousandths. Use this pattern to complete each answer. Remember that 1 tenth equals 100 thousandths and 1 hundredth equals 10 thousandths.
1. In 2.638, what is the value of the digit 6?
2. In 4.205, what is the value of the digit 5?
3. How many thousandths are equal to 3 tenths?
4. How many thousandths are equal to 7 hundredths?
5. Write 528 thousandths as a decimal.
Compare and Order
Compare the digits from left to right, adding zeroes at the end if that helps (for example, 0.5 = 0.500). Write <, > or = in each box. For the last question, write the decimals from least to greatest.
1. 0.7 0.68
2. 1.305 1.350
3. 2.040 2.04
4. Order from least to greatest: 0.509, 0.95, 0.590.
Round to the Nearest Whole and Tenth
To round to the nearest whole number, look at the tenths digit. To round to one decimal place, look at the hundredths digit. If the digit you check is 5 or more, round up; if it is 4 or less, keep the rounding digit the same.
1. Round 4.26 to the nearest whole number.
2. Round 7.82 to the nearest whole number.
3. Round 3.47 to one decimal place.
4. Round 6.95 to one decimal place.
5. Round 0.64 to one decimal place.
Decimal Problems in Context
Read each problem carefully and choose the operation that fits. Write your calculation and answer in the box. Keep decimal points lined up when adding or subtracting.
1. A ribbon is 1.250 m long. Maya cuts off 0.375 m. How much ribbon is left?
2. A bottle holds 0.750 litres of water. Sam pours in another 0.125 litres. How much water is in the bottle now?
3. A walking route is 2.4 km in the morning and 1.35 km in the afternoon. How far does the walker travel altogether?
4. A parcel weighs 3.000 kg. A smaller parcel weighs 1.275 kg. What is the difference in their masses?
Activity 1: 1. Three and four hundred and seven thousandths ; 2. Fifty-six thousandths ; 3. 6.23 ; 4. 0.408
Activity 2: 1. 0.6 (six tenths) ; 2. 0.005 (five thousandths) ; 3. 300 thousandths ; 4. 70 thousandths ; 5. 0.528
Activity 3: 1. > ; 2. < ; 3. = ; 4. 0.509, 0.590, 0.95
Activity 4: 1. 4 ; 2. 8 ; 3. 3.5 ; 4. 7.0 ; 5. 0.6
Activity 5: 1. 1.250 − 0.375 = 0.875 m ; 2. 0.750 + 0.125 = 0.875 litres ; 3. 2.4 + 1.35 = 3.75 km ; 4. 3.000 − 1.275 = 1.725 kg
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