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      Describe and represent tenths as a decimal number

      Lesson details

      Learning outcome

      I can describe and represent tenths as a decimal number.

      Key learning points

      1. If a digit is moved one place value column to the right it becomes one tenth the size.
      2. One tenth is one tenth the size of one whole.
      3. Tenths are recorded in the column to the right of the decimal point so one tenth is 0.1
      4. The decimal point separates whole numbers from numbers with a decimal fraction part.

      Keywords

      • One tenth the size - When a whole is divided into ten equal parts, we can say one of those parts is one tenth the size of the whole.

      • Tenths column - The tenths column places the number of tenths a given number has.

      • Decimal point - A decimal point is a small dot used in a number to separate the whole number from the fractional part.

      Common misconception

      Pupils put a digit in the ones column instead of the tenths column to represent a number of tenths.

      Continue to ask what each digit that has been recorded represents, linking back to the place value chart and the role of the decimal point.

      Teacher tip

      Encourage children to notice that when the place value headings are removed, using zeros is not enough as each 1 is worth ten times more than it should be. This is why we need the decimal point.

      Licence

      This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0
      except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions
      (Collection 2).

      Lesson video

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      Prior knowledge starter quiz

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      10 ones are equal to __________

      10 tens
      Correct answer: 1 ten
      1 one

      Q2.
      10 tenths are equal to __________

      10 tens
      1 ten
      Correct answer: 1 one

      Q3.
      What is the value of the 1 in the place value chart?

      An image in a quiz
      Correct Answer: one hundred, 1 hundred, hundred

      Q4.
      One thousand is __________ the size of one hundred.

      An image in a quiz
      Correct answer: ten times
      one hundred times
      one thousand times

      Q5.
      Match the letter to the correct value.

      An image in a quiz
      Correct Answer:A,7 tenths

      7 tenths

      Correct Answer:B,2 tenths

      2 tenths

      Correct Answer:C,9 tenths

      9 tenths

      Q6.
      Which picture represents seven tenths? Write the letter.

      An image in a quiz
      Correct Answer: A, a

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      The decimal point separates __________.

      the ones from the tens
      Correct answer: the whole numbers from the fractional parts.
      the fractional parts from the decimal numbers.

      Q2.
      If I make 1, one tenth the size, it becomes __________.

      one ten
      Correct answer: one tenth
      one hundred

      Q3.
      One is __________ times the size of one tenth.

      Correct answer: ten
      hundred
      one-tenth

      Q4.
      Write five tenths as a decimal number.

      Correct Answer: 0.5, zero point five, nought point five, point five

      Q5.
      Which image does not show 3 tenths?

      An image in a quiz
      A
      B
      Correct answer: C
      D

      Q6.
      Match each letter to its correct value.

      An image in a quiz
      Correct Answer:A,0.7

      0.7

      Correct Answer:B,0.9

      0.9

      Correct Answer:C,0.2

      0.2

      Correct Answer:D,1

      1


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