What characterizes terminating decimals?

What characterizes terminating decimals?

• A. They have a finite number of digits after the decimal point
• B. They never end
• C. They always equal a whole number
• D. They can be represented as simple fractions only

Answer: (A)

Terminating decimals are characterized by having a finite number of digits after the decimal point. This means that if you were to express a number as a decimal, it would eventually come to a stop and not continue indefinitely. For example, the decimal 0.75 is terminating because it has two digits after the decimal place and does not go on forever. This characteristic differentiates them from other types of decimals, such as repeating decimals, which continue infinitely. Understanding this property is also important for recognizing that terminating decimals can be represented as fractions where the denominator is a power of 10, such as 3/4 for 0.75.

Terminating decimals are characterized by having a finite number of digits after the decimal point. This means that if you were to express a number as a decimal, it would eventually come to a stop and not continue indefinitely. For example, the decimal 0.75 is terminating because it has two digits after the decimal place and does not go on forever.

This characteristic differentiates them from other types of decimals, such as repeating decimals, which continue infinitely. Understanding this property is also important for recognizing that terminating decimals can be represented as fractions where the denominator is a power of 10, such as 3/4 for 0.75.