Common equivalences
1/2 = 0.5 = 50%.
| Fraction | Decimal | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 1/2 | 0.5 | 50% |
| 1/4 | 0.25 | 25% |
| 3/4 | 0.75 | 75% |
These are useful values to remember securely.
Year 6
Recall and use equivalences between simple fractions, decimals and percentages, including in different contexts
Move between fractions, decimals and percentages and use the matching form in context.
Lesson overview
Number - fractions, decimals and percentages
Fractions, decimals and percentages can show the same value in different ways. Knowing common equivalences makes comparison and problem solving much quicker.
Choose a useful form
A sale may be shown as a percentage, while a quantity of a whole may be shown as a fraction.
20%
Different contexts prefer different forms.
Worked example
What is 25% written as a fraction and a decimal?
| Percentage | Fraction | Decimal |
|---|---|---|
| 25% | 1/4 | 0.25 |
- 25% means 25 out of 100.
- 25/100 simplifies to 1/4.
- 25 hundredths is 0.25.
- So 25% = 1/4 = 0.25.
Try it
Think about which known equivalence matches the value.
Question 1
1/2 is the same as:
Question 2
0.25 is the same as:
Question 3
Which fraction matches 75%?
| 25% | 50% | 75% |
|---|---|---|
| 1/4 | 1/2 | 3/4 |
Question 4
Which decimal matches 10%?
Question 5
A shop advert says 50% off. Which fraction of the price is removed?
Common mistakes
Watch for these when working through the lesson.
- Mixing up 0.5 and 5%.
- Forgetting to simplify the fraction form.
- Choosing a percentage when the context really wants a fraction of a whole.
Related topics
These ideas fit closely with this lesson.
- Associate a fraction with division and calculate decimal fraction equivalents.
- Compare and order fractions, including fractions greater than 1.