Which do you find easier to understand and work with, fractions or decimals?

Question

Ever since I was a very small child I realized that fractions were much easier to work with than decimals. Later in school when I learned how to manipulate polynomials I realized that EVERYTHING I learned about fractions was applicable. However, almost nothing to do with decimals has anything whatsoever to do with polynomials. Now that I am a college professor I realize what a disservice schools are doing to America's children by allowing them to become fractionally illiterate. It is as if they (schools) are setting up our kids for failure later in their education. What is so difficult about fractions?

Alchemy303

I find that no matter the subject (developmental mathematics through the calculus sequence and even beyond) I have to review adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing fractions throughout the course. The situation is really bad in a typical college algebra class. Most of those students have no clue how to do anything with fractions if a polynomial is involved. With those classes I work many examples and take extra care to show (in excurciating detail) each and every step when manipulating fractions. A one day review is not enough for anything. The review has to be woven into almost every class meeting. Otherwise, it's all gone by the following Monday.

The key to learning mathematics is continually reviewing. Something new, something old, something new, something old, etc., etc., etc..

Some professors just complain that the students should already know the basics. I prefer to make an effort to help instead of flunking 80-90% like those other professors.

Answer 1

It IS easier to manually work with fractions. The problem is that computers and calculators have a hell of a time with it, and it seems like schools are making a big push to go digital. And yes, it is a big disservice to our children.

Answer 2

The problem with fractions is two-fold. First, it is difficult to work with them for long, extended problems. Even if it were fairly easy to convert and multiply all the fractions, you are going to come across values that are not easily expressable in fractional form. Secondly, fractions do not "translate" as nicely into real ideas as decimals do.

Academically, I know that 243/512 is a little less than half, but .475 is something that I can use immediately, with no estimation, and without having to worry about the next common denominator.

Answer 3

Nothing is difficult about fractions. Fractions are way easier than decimals. I have always been forced to use fractions until I got into high school mathematics. That's when it became a choice between fractions and decimals. Now, going into Honors Pre-Cal, we are encouraged to use fractions when we can, but on calculator-driven stuff, we have no choice but to go with decimals.

I agree though, that fractions are easier.

Answer 4

As a high school math teacher, let me tell you that schools are NOT trying to teach decimals any more than they are trying to teach fractions. It is our goal to show students the connection between them and get to a point where they can be used interchangably. The studnets naturally take a preference and usually it is for decimals since that is what they see in their calculator. As a math teacher, I have to say that fractions are much easier to work with (especially at the lower levels where the numerators and denominators aren't too large) and try to convince my students of that one a daily basis.

Answer 5

For me, Fractions are difficult. I never seemed to catch on to fractions for these reasons:

1. They were never taught exclusively
2. My math teachers never had time during the school year to concentrate on them

It's hard to say. I wish that my teachers had put more emphasis on them.

I believe that teachers put more emphasis on decimals than they did on fractions.

Let me ask you a question then:

"Being a college prof., When teaching your classes, have you ever had to have a remidal day just for fractions? Have you seen difficulty in your students with fractions?"

I'm curious to see what your answer is, I'm not trying to be mean, I agree about the fractions. Gettting an answer from a college prof. should be very interesting.

Answer 6

I agree completely. So many people know how to manipulate fractions to a certain degree, but they don't really understand them conceptually. When you don't know what they really mean, they seem to involve a lot of arbitrary rules... e.g. you need a common denominator to add, but not to multiply. Decimals, don't seem so arbitrary, but you are right that fractions are generally easier to work with when you know what you are doing. Even the words numerator and denominator make a lot of sense when you think about them, but nobody ever explains to students what they mean. I tutor math and I will take any student back to basic fractions, even if they are studying calculus, if I feel that they don't really understand them.

Answer 7

I like them both....They both have their advantages and disadvantages. We all may have our favorites, but they both help and hurt. Some like fractions because they are easy. Others don't like them at all because they are too easy or too hard. The same with decimals. All schools teach differently, and if we need to know more about fractions then we will learn, right? Have a great day...and have fun with life!

Answer 8

decimals are alot easier to work with, since when you deal with calculations, you never get nice round numbers to be converted to fractions. Fractions are not difficult per say but it makes everything more complicated since you can just round off the decimals depending on your sig figs. I know rounding off decimals will not give you an exact answer but nothing you do in life will give you a precise number anyhow. Most analytical measurement equipments will give you accuracy to only 6 decimal places.

Answer 9

I find fractions are much easier to use. More importantly, they're more precise.

I guess they could take a little more thought than decimals for some people, but there really isn't anything more difficult about them.

Answer 10

Decimals are easier to understand, and easier to put in a calculator ;) But for long repeating decimals, its best to use fractions. I don't know I mix them XD Usually we have to write out answer in fractions.
In Calc and stuff where its necessary to use a calculator, decimals are quick and easy.

But I understand where you are coming from, and as a student I can tell you teachers are improving. Like I said, we are usually required to write answers in fractions where appropriate :D

Most reasons kids use decimals anyway is because it comes from their calculator.