Like and Unlike Decimals

Like Decimals

Like decimals are the decimals having equal number of decimal places.

Or

Decimal fraction having equal number of digits on the right side of decimal point is known as like decimals.

Example: 3.8, 12.4, 786.1 are like decimals.

Unlike Decimals

Unlike decimals are the decimals having unequal number of decimal places.

Or

Decimal fraction having unequal number of digits on the right side of decimal point is known as unlike decimals.

Example: 7.8, 52.04, 306.100 are unlike decimals.

Note: Decimal places are the number of digits that decimal part of the decimal fraction/decimal number has.

Example:

8.89 have 2 decimal places.

12.767 have 3 decimal places.

Converting Unlike Decimals into Like Decimals

Steps to Convert Unlike to Like Decimals

Step1: Find the decimal fraction with greatest numbers of decimal places.

Step2: Now, make other given decimal fractions/ decimal numbers with same number of decimal places by adding zeroes to the right of last digit of decimal part so that each decimal fraction has decimal places equal to the greatest number of decimal places.

Note: Adding zero on the extreme right of the digit of decimal part does not alter the value of decimal number. So, we can convert unlike decimals to like decimal by putting zero on the extreme right of the digit of decimal part of the decimal number.

Example1: Convert the decimal number 15.6, 4.76 and 13.234 into like decimals.

15.6 has one decimal place.

4.76 has two decimal places.

13.234 has three decimal places.

Here, the greatest number of decimal places is three.

Now we will add zeroes to the extreme right of the last digit of decimal part of each decimal number, so that each decimal number has 3 decimal places.

15.6 has 1 decimal place, we will add two 0 after 6 and so, 15.6 is written as 15.600

4.76 has two decimal places, we will add one 0 after and so, 4.76 is written as 4.760

13.234 already has three decimal places.

Now, 15.600, 4.760 and 13.234 are like decimals.