What is 15.875 as a fraction?

Converting decimals to fractions can be useful in many situations. Let's go through the steps to convert a decimal 15.875 to a fraction.

You can try other values to get more familiar with the conversion process.

Often, convert 15.8 to a fraction or 16 to a fraction, depending on the task.

Understanding the decimal: “15.875”

A decimal number consists of an integer part and a fractional part, separated by a decimal point. The integer part is on the left, and the fractional part is on the right. For example, in 15.875, 15 is the integer part and 875 is the fractional part.

Conversion Explanation:

  1. For the numerator:
    • We start with the number 15.875.
    • By removing the decimal point, we derive the numerator as 15875.
  2. For the denominator:
    • Each position after the decimal represents a division by 10.
    • Thus, having 3 positions after the decimal equates to 1000 or 103.
  3. Factors:
    • The factors for the numerator and the denominator are numbers that can evenly divide each of them.
    • For instance, the factors of 15875 include 1, 5, 25, 125, 127, 635, 3175, and 15875.
    • The factors of 1000 comprise 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 20, 25, 40, 50, 100, 125, 200, 250, 500, and 1000.
  4. Greatest Common Divisor (GCD):
    • It's the largest number that can evenly divide both the numerator and the denominator.
    • In this instance, the GCD for 15875 and 1000 is 125.

The factors of 15875 are:

1 5 25 125 127 635 3175 15875

The factors of 1000 are:

1 2 4 5 8 10 20 25 40 50 100 125 200 250 500 1000

Conversion formula (equation):

15.875=15.8751=15.875 × 10001 × 1000=158751000=15875÷1251000÷125=1278

Solution:

15.875 = 1278

What is a decimal?

A decimal is a numeral system that includes a point to separate the whole number part from the fractional part. This system makes it easy to work with numbers less than one.

What is a fraction?

A fraction is a mathematical way of showing a part of a whole. It has two parts: the numerator on top and the denominator below, which help express partial values and comparisons.

Step-by-step solution:

  • Step 1: First, write the decimal as a fraction over 1. This sets up the next steps. 15.875 = 15.8751
  • Step 2: Decimals can have different lengths. We will align the number of digits after the decimal point. For 15.875, we have three digits. This means multiplying the fraction by a factor of 10 for each digit. Factor = 103 = 1000
  • Step 3: Using this factor, multiply both the numerator and the denominator. 15.875 × 10001 × 1000 = 158751000
  • Step 4: Now we need to simplify the fraction by finding common divisors. The greatest common divisor is 125. Divide both the numerator and the denominator by this common divisor. 15875 ÷ 1251000 ÷ 125 = 1278

Answer in mixed fraction format:

15.875 =
15
7
8