What are the "decimal benchmarks" and "fraction benchmarks" and how would I find the nearest?

Question

Another sleepless night trying to help my son figure out his homework. I'll give an example. For .23 what is the nearest decimal benchmark, the nearest fraction benchmark, and what is your reasoning? These are terms I didn't grow up with. Help?

Answer 1

You have every right to be concerned, the descriptions

"decimal benchmarks" and "fraction benchmarks" are open to many interpretations. In this case, make your own [reasonable] interpretations.



If the fractional benchmarks where 1/100 ths, this is an exact fraction 23/100.

If they are taken to be 1/2, 1/4, 1/5, etc., .23 is closer to 1/4, than any other,

BUT it is also closer still to 2/9 [hence the confusion].



For decimal benchmarks, there is less confusion, but it is still there.

If the benchmarks are .1, .2, .3, .4, .5, .6, .7, .8, .9 etc., the nearest one is .2.

If the benchmarks are further refined [between .2 and .3],

with .21, .22, .23, .24, ... then .23 coincides with a benchmark.

Answer 2

The most important benchmarks for fractions are 0, 1/2, and 1. So the closest fraction benchmark for .23 would be 0 because .23 is closer to 0 than it is to 1/2. It would probably be the same for the decimal benchmark as well.



Other important benchmarks could be 1/4 and 3/4 or .25 and .75. But I would say for basic math you would not need these.



Hope this helps!

Answer 3

Define Benchmark Fractions

Answer 4

Benchmark Decimals

Answer 5

This Site Might Help You.



RE:

What are the "decimal benchmarks" and "fraction benchmarks" and how would I find the nearest?

Another sleepless night trying to help my son figure out his homework. I'll give an example. For .23 what is the nearest decimal benchmark, the nearest fraction benchmark, and what is your reasoning? These are terms I didn't grow up with. Help?

Answer 6

I'm not positive either, but the best I could guess would be the nearest decimal benchmark would be 0.25 and the nearest fraction benchmark would be 1/4. Benchmarks being "significant" values, aka 0.1, 0.2, 0.25, 0.3, 0.33? ect. and likewise with fractions, 1/1, 1/2, 1/3?, 1/4, 1/5, 1/10