Quandaries and Queries
  

 

Hello,
My name is Fritz, and my project is decimals. I have to find out about the history of decimals, do a survey and also am required to write an email to www.askanexpert.com to find out your real life usage of decimals. My project is due this coming Monday. So, my question to you, the expert is: "How do you use decimals in your every day life?"

Thank you very much for your help Fritz
 

 

Hi Fritz,

(Where I live, in Canada, we use the metric system so my units may not be what you are familar with.)

It's hard to imagine going for more than a few minutes without using decimals. When I get up in the morning and eat my breakfast I notice that on the side of my cereal box is a table that starts:

A 250 ml serving contains 8.5 gm protein
2.7 gm fat I put milk on my cereal and the milk carton has a table that starts: A 40 gram serving contains 3.6 grams protein
1.8 grams fat

After eating breakfast I brush my teeth. The toothpaste tube says it contains 0.243% Soduim Floride.

I get in my car and drive to work. On the way I stop and buy a cup of coffee, it cost me $1.25 plus a tax of 7% (that is the tax is $1.25  0.07). When I get to work I look at the odometer and see that I have travelled 18.2 km.

I've seen decimals in 8 places and I haven't even got to work yet.

Penny 		 
 

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