Decimals Or Fractions? While we often refer to the US in decimal form, the US has also always used fractions, which is part of the reason why we sometimes have weird unit conversions. For example, one quart is equal to one-fourth of a gallon, and one inch is equivalent to one-twelfth of a foot. Decimals gained in popularity when the metric system was developed in the 1790s, and the use of computers made them even more useful.
When comparing two numbers, a recent study of college students found that people were equally good at identifying continuous fractions and decimals. When comparing fractions and decimals, however, people performed better with discrete analogies. This was because decimals and fractions refer to the same ratio, but do not map directly onto the number of items in the display. Hence, people are best able to compare two sets of numbers in different situations and apply them accordingly.
Both forms are useful when expressing numerical quantities. For example, the US currency uses both types of decimals and fractions. A penny, for example, equals one cent. The same thing goes for a hundredth. The same holds true for other forms of money. The difference between decimals and fractions is not just a matter of style; it’s also about convenience. If a product sells more than twenty percent more, it may be worth a raise.
