# Math Help - Saying Decimals

1. ## Saying Decimals

0.00283 in word form. You write two-hundred eighty-three thousandths.

I do not know how to write 17.39625
It is the numbers right after the decimal that confuse me.

I posted this on mathgoodies.com in the basic math forum
but no one has answered and I need this to finish my math homework.

Thank you.
Sharapova

2. Originally Posted by Sharapova
0.00283 in word form. You write two-hundred eighty-three thousandths.

I do not know how to write 17.39625
It is the numbers right after the decimal that confuse me.

I posted this on mathgoodies.com in the basic math forum
but no one has answered and I need this to finish my math homework.

Thank you.
Sharapova

A decimal point is represented by the word "and." So
17.39625 is "seventeen and thirty nine thousand six hundred twenty five ten thousandths." (Wow. That's a mouthful! ) Note: Most people say this incorrectly in casual conversation, so beware!

-Dan

3. ## A Little Confused

Isn't the five in the hundred thousandths in the number 17.39625? So I thought the answer would be seventeen and thirty-nine thousand, six hundred twenty-five hundred thousandths.

Sharapova

4. I would have thought it is:

17.39625 = Seventeen point thirty nine thousand six hundred twenty five hundred thousandths.

5. Originally Posted by Air
I would have thought it is:

17.39625 = Seventeen point thirty nine thousand six hundred twenty five hundred thousandths.
No point as you are expressing the fractional paer as a fraction so this is

seventeen and thirty nine thousand six hundred and twenty five hunderd thousanths,

or seventeen point three nine six two five

RonL

6. Originally Posted by Sharapova
Isn't the five in the hundred thousandths in the number 17.39625? So I thought the answer would be seventeen and thirty-nine thousand, six hundred twenty-five hundred thousandths.

Sharapova
No! That isn't true! I couldn't possibly be wrong!!!

Well, except in this case. (Ahem!) Sorry about that.

-Dan

7. I normally always state decimal in the form -

"x point y, z, w, q"

So 17.39625 would be "Seventeen, point, three, nine, six, two, five."

8. Hello, Sharapova!

I know how to write 0.00283 in word form.
You write two-hundred eighty-three thousandths . . . . no!

The decimal spans five decimal places.
The denominator is 100,000 (hundred thousandths).

In words: .Two hundred eighty-three hundred thousandths.

I do not know how to write 17.39625
It is the numbers right after the decimal that confuse me.

Again, the decimal spans five decimal places.

We have: .Seventeen and thirty-nine thousand six hundred twenty-five hundred thousandths.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Traditionally, two-digit numbers are hyphenated: twenty-five, sixty-four.

Also, the word "and" is used at the decimal point (only).
. . Why?

We often read $325,000$ as "Three hundred and twenty-five thousand,"
. . inserting an "and" in the middle.

This is not recommended since the words could be interpreted as
. . "Three hundred ... and twenty-five thousand": . $300 + 25,000 \:=\:25,300$

Watch for this on television.
See how many newscaster will read $2,598,964.3$ as "Two million and five hundred
. . and ninety-eight thousand nine hundred and sixty-four and three tenths."