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6.2
Chapter 6
Decimals: Rational and Irrational Numbers
MATH ACTIVITY 6.1
Decimal Place Value with Base-Ten Pieces and Decimal Squares
Virtual
Manipulatives
www.mhhe.com/bbn
Purpose: Explore decimal place value concepts using Decimal Squares and base-ten pieces.
Materials: Base-Ten Pieces and Decimal Squares in the Manipulative Kit or Virtual
Manipulatives.
*1. When the largest base-ten piece in
your kit represents the unit, the other
base-ten pieces take on the values
shown here. Notice that the hundredths piece is divided into 10 equal
parts to represent thousandths, and
1 part is shaded to represent
1 thousandth.
1
.1
.01
.001
a. Take out your base-ten pieces and investigate the relationship between the pieces;
list some of the relationships you discovered between these four types of pieces.
b. Form the collection of 1 unit piece, 4 tenths pieces, and 12 hundredths pieces. By
using only your base-ten pieces and exchanging (trading) the pieces, it is possible
to represent this collection in many different ways. Record some of these in a place
value table like the one shown here.
Units
1
Tenths
4
Hundredths
12
Thousandths
2. In the Decimal Squares model the unit square is divided into 10, 100, and 1000 equal
parts to represent tenths, hundredths, and thousandths (respectively). Sort your deck
of Decimal Squares into three piles according to color.
a. Determine the smallest and largest decimal represented in each pile.
b. How do the shaded amounts of each type of Decimal Square increase?
c. List some relationships between the three types of Decimal Squares.
.6
3. The two Decimal Squares shown at the left illustrate .6 .60 because both squares
have the same amount of shading. In the deck of Decimal Squares there are three
squares whose decimals equal .6. Sort your deck of Decimal Squares into piles so
squares with the same shaded amount are in the same pile.
a. Find all the decimals from the Decimal Squares that equal the following: .5, .35,
.9, and .10 and write each corresponding equality statement.
b. The two-place decimal .65 is not equal to a one-place decimal, such as .6 or .7. List
all the other two-place decimals from your deck that are not equal to a one-place
decimal.
.60
ben19456_ch06.indd 340
c. The three-place decimal .375 is not equal to a two-place decimal. List all the other
three-place decimals from your deck that are not equal to a two-place decimal.
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