When working with numbers, it is common to encounter decimals that need to be converted into fractions for various reasons, such as simplifying calculations or comparing values. One such decimal that may be encountered is 0.1875. In this article, we will explore how to express 0.1875 as a fraction.

To begin, let's first define what a fraction is. A fraction is a representation of a number that expresses a part of a whole. It consists of two numbers separated by a line, with the top number called the numerator and the bottom number called the denominator. For example, the fraction 1/2 represents one half of a whole, where 1 is the numerator and 2 is the denominator.

To express 0.1875 as a fraction, we need to determine its numerator and denominator. The numerator represents the number that the decimal is expressing, and the denominator represents the place value of the last digit in the decimal. In 0.1875, the last digit is 5, which is in the fourth decimal place, so the denominator will be 10,000 (10 to the fourth power).

To find the numerator, we can simply multiply both sides of the decimal by 10,000, which moves the decimal point four places to the right. This gives us:

0.1875 x 10,000 = 1875

Therefore, the fraction equivalent of 0.1875 is 1875/10,000. However, this fraction can be simplified further by dividing both the numerator and denominator by their greatest common factor (GCF). The GCF of 1875 and 10,000 is 125, so dividing both by 125 gives us:

1875 ÷ 125 = 15

10,000 ÷ 125 = 80

Thus, the simplified fraction equivalent of 0.1875 is 15/80. This means that 0.1875 represents 15/80 of a whole.

It is also worth noting that 15/80 can be further reduced by dividing both the numerator and denominator by their GCF, which is 5 in this case. Dividing both by 5 gives us:

15 ÷ 5 = 3

80 ÷ 5 = 16

Therefore, the simplest form of the fraction equivalent of 0.1875 is 3/16. This means that 0.1875 represents 3/16 of a whole.

In conclusion, we have learned that to express 0.1875 as a fraction, we need to determine its numerator and denominator by considering the place value of the last digit in the decimal. We then multiply the decimal by the appropriate power of 10 to find the numerator and use the corresponding power of 10 as the denominator. The resulting fraction can then be simplified by dividing both the numerator and denominator by their GCF. Applying these steps to 0.1875 gives us the fraction equivalent of 3/16.