Activity by Dale Beltzner and Carli Entin. Scholastic Inc. grants teachers permission to reproduce this page. © 2009 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved.
Extension Activity
Name______________________________________
Transforming
B Mixed Numbers
We’ve been invaded by toaster ovens that turn into giant robots! We’re not sure how to transform
them back, but we can change a mixed number into a decimal number. We’ll show you how below.
And look out for that toaster that turns into a fire-breathing dragon-bot!
What to Do
Read Changing Mixed Numbers Into
Decimals. In each problem, fill in the circle
next to the mixed number’s correct decimal
equivalent. The phrase next to the answer
finishes the “fact” about each robot. (We
made up the robots, so we made up the facts
too—but the math is real!)
Changing Mixed
Numbers Into Decimals
✓ Take the fraction part of the mixed number
and divide the numerator by the denominator.
Your answer will be a decimal.
✓ Write that decimal number to the right of
the original whole number.
Example: Express 5​__
 43  ​as a decimal number.
.75
4 3.00
-2 8
20
-20
0
1
One toaster turns into the tremendous
BagelBot, which can 4​ _21 ​ 
A 4.12
B 4.5 cover your entire room with butter.
turn himself into a pile of crumbs.
Another toaster becomes The Waffler,
2
which can 17​ __
16   ​
2
A 17.125 cook excellent waffles.
B 17.126 turn milk into maple syrup.
3
The toaster that turns into MuffinMan has
3
been known to 33 ​ __
12  
4
Hey! That refrigerator is turning into Miss
1
Munch, which can 25 ​ __
10   ​
​  33.14 leave blueberry stains on the carpet.
A
B 33.25 have conversations with grape jelly.
A 25.1 turn any food into cottage cheese.
B 25.110 freeze anything just by looking at it.
supermath
We figured out that if you turn decimals back
into mixed numbers, you can turn the robots
back into toasters. Quick: Find the mixed
number that’s equal to 19.80!
8
A 19 ​ _45 ​
 
B 19 ​ ___
   
​
100
✓ 5​__
 43 ​ = 5.75
May/June 2009 • DynaMath • T7