5

6
5
33
313
1998

© T Madas
A recurring decimal is a never ending decimal,
whose decimal part repeats with a pattern.
1 = 0.333…
3
7 = 1.1666…
6 A recurring decimal can always
5 =
0.8333… be written as a fraction.
6
31 =
12
2.58333…

913 = 0.0913913913…
9990
2 = 0.285714285714285714…
7

© T Madas
A recurring decimal is a never ending decimal,
whose decimal part repeats with a pattern.
1 = 0.333…
3
2 = 0.666…
3 These recurring decimals are
1 =
0.1666… worth remembering.
6
5 =
6
0.8333…

© T Madas
A terminating decimal comes to an end after a
number of decimal places.
1 = 0.25
4
2 = 0.4
5
13 =
25
0.52
31 =
80
0.3875

919 = 2.2975
400
1511 = 1.4755859375
1024

© T Madas
It turns out that:

The number we are dividing (i.e. the numerator)

plays no role into whether the decimal will be
terminating or recurring.

The divisor (i.e. the denominator) is important:

• If the denominator can be broken into prime

factors of 2 and/or 5 only then the decimal will be
terminating.

• If the denominator contains any other prime

factors then the decimal will be recurring.

• THIS ONLY HOLDS TRUE PROVIDED THE

FRACTION IS IN ITS SIMPLEST FORM
© T Madas
© T Madas
Convert 0.444… into a fraction

Let x = 0.444…
Since the recurring decimal has a one-digit
pattern we multiply this expression by 10

10x = 4.444…
x = 0.444…
9x = 4.000...

x= 4
9
4
0.444… = 9

© T Madas
Convert 0.363636… into a fraction

Let x = 0.363636…
Since the recurring decimal has a two-digit
pattern we multiply this expression by 100

100x = 36.3636…
x= 0.3636…
99x = 36.0000...
36 = 4
x=
99 11
4
0.363636… = 11

© T Madas
Convert 0.411411411… into a fraction

Let x = 0.411411411…
Since the recurring decimal has a three-digit
pattern we multiply this expression by 1000

1000x = 411.411411…
x= 0.411411…
999x = 411. 000000...
411 = 137
x=
999 333
137
0.411411411… = 333
© T Madas
Convert 0.3777… into a fraction

Let x = 0.3777…
Since the recurring decimal has a one-digit
pattern we multiply this expression by 10

10x = 3.777…
x = 0.377…
9x = 3.400...
3.4 = 34 = 17
x=
9 90 45

17
0.3777… = 45
© T Madas
Convert 1.01454545… into a fraction

Let x = 1.01454545…
Since the recurring decimal has a two-digit
pattern we multiply this expression by 100

100x = 101.454545…
x= 1.014545…
99x = 100.440000...
100.44 = 10044 = 2511
x=
99 9900 2475
279
0.01454545… = 275
© T Madas
Convert 2.9135135135… into a fraction

Let x = 2.9135135135…
Since the recurring decimal has a three-digit
pattern we multiply this expression by 1000

1000x = 2913.5135135…
x= 2.9135135…
999x = 2910.6000000...
2910.6 = 29106 = 539 [HCF:54]
x=
999 9990 185

539
2.9135135135… = 185
© T Madas
Convert 0.153846153846153846… into a fraction

Let x = 0.153846153846153846…
Since the recurring decimal has a six-digit pattern
we multiply this expression by 1000000

1000000x = 153846.153846153846…
x= 0.153846153846…
999999x = 153846. 000000000000 ...
153846 = 17094 = 5698 = 518 = 2
x=
999999 111111 37037 3367 13
÷9 ÷3 ÷11 ÷259

2
0.153846153846153846… =
13
© T Madas
It is worth noting a pattern in some recurring decimals:

4 31 107
0.444… = 0.313131… = 0.107107… =
9 99 999
7 8 23
0.777… = 0.080808… = 0.023023… =
9 99 999

5 37 163
2.555… = 2 1.373737… = 1 3.163163… = 3
9 99 999

This might save a bit of work when converting:

5
“write 11
as a decimal”

x9
5 45
=
11 99 0.454545…
=
x9

© T Madas
© T Madas
 17
Write as a recurring decimal
33

Method A
0 5 1 5 1
by division: 17
3 3 1 7 0 0 0 0 = 0.515151…
5 17 5 17 33

Method B

by recognising patterns:
x3
17 51
=
33 99 0.515151…
=
x3

© T Madas
© T Madas
Calculate the mean of 0.6 and 0.16 giving your final
answer as a recurring decimal

by immediate recognition: Mean

2
0.6 = 0.666… = 3
•add them
1 •divide by 2
0.16 = 0.1666… = 6

Method 1 Method 2
2x 2 1 4 1 5 0.6666…
+ +
3 x2 6 6 6 6 5
= = = 12 + 0.1666…
2 2 2 0.8333…
1
0 4 1 6 6
0 41 6 6
1 2 5 0 0 0 0
2 8 8 8 2 0 8333
0 1 1 1
5 5
= 0.416 = 0.416
12 12
© T Madas