The phrase “It rained 16 hundredths of an inch on Tuesday” can be written numerically as:
0.16 inches.
This is because “16 hundredths” refers to 16/100, which is equal to 0.16 when written as a decimal.
Let’s break it down further:
When we say “16 hundredths of an inch,” we are referring to a fraction of an inch where the denominator is 100, which gives us the term “hundredths.” Specifically, “hundredths” means 16 out of 100.
Here’s how this works:
1. Understanding “Hundredths”
- The term “hundredths” refers to 1/100 of something. So, 1 hundredth means one part out of 100 equal parts.
- In this case, 16 hundredths means 16 out of 100 parts.
2. Fractional Representation
- “16 hundredths” is written as a fraction: 16÷100
- When we divide 16 by 100, we get: 16÷100=0.16
3. Decimal Representation
- As a result, 16 hundredths is equivalent to 0.16 in decimal form.
- So when we say 16 hundredths of an inch, we are actually talking about 0.16 inches.
4. Putting it Together
- “It rained 16 hundredths of an inch on Tuesday” can be written as: It rained 0.16 inches on Tuesday.\text{It rained } 0.16 \text{ inches on Tuesday.}
Why Use Decimals?
In measurements, decimals are often used to provide more precision than whole numbers. For example, rather than saying “it rained 16/100ths of an inch,” it is much easier to express the same quantity as 0.16 inches in most everyday contexts, such as weather reports or scientific measurements.