I.

INTRODUCTION

Decimals are used widely. Our money is based on a decimal system. Common
measurements such as the height of students in a class, the price of petrol and the
amount of gas used for heating your home are usually expressed using decimals.
Despite their common use today, decimals were not used widely until the early
seventeenth century. Now, decimals are used extensively and almost exclusively in
commerce and science.

There are some decimal numbers that never end. If you spent the rest of your life
writing out all of the digits on one of these numbers, you would never finish – there
would always be more numbers to write down.

0.142857142857142857....

Luckily, as in the number shown above, there are sometimes patterns in the
numbers. These patterns repeat over and over again.

II. Title: Terminating and Recurring Decimals

Statement of the Problem:

1. Which fractions make terminating decimals?

2. When will we get recurring decimals?

III. Aim/ Objective

● Recognising terminating, recurring and non-terminating decimals and choosing their

appropriate representations.

In this investigation we are going to examine the types of fractions that produce
both terminating and recurring decimals.
IV. INVESTIGATION SKILLS/RESOURCES USED

1. Complete the table below of recurring decimal cycles

Total
1
= 0. 1 4 2 8 5 7 27
7
2
=
7
3
=
7
4
=
7
5
=
7
6
=
7
Total

2. What patterns do you notice?

3. In the diagram below, join the digits of the cycle 1, 4, 2, 8, 5, 7 and back to 1, with
straight lines and add a line of symmetry.

4. Evaluate the following products and comment on your findings.

142857 x 1 =
142857 x 2 =
142857 x 3 =
142857 x 4 =
142857 x 5 =
142857 x 6 =
5. Do the recurring cycles for the rational numbers 1/19, 2/19, ........, 18/19 shown
below, create a magic square?

1
= 0. 0 5 2 6 3 1 5 7 8 9 4 7 3 6 8 4 2 1
19
2
= 0. 1 0 5 2 6 3 1 5 7 8 9 4 7 3 6 8 4 2
19
3
= 0. 1 5 7 8 9 4 7 3 6 8 4 2 1 0 5 2 6 3
19
4
= 0. 2 1 0 5 2 6 3 1 5 7 8 9 4 7 3 6 8 4
19
5
= 0. 2 6 3 1 5 7 8 9 4 7 3 6 8 4 2 1 0 5
19
6
= 0. 3 1 5 7 8 9 4 7 3 6 8 4 2 1 0 5 2 6
19
7
= 0. 3 6 8 4 2 1 0 5 2 6 3 1 5 7 8 9 4 7
19
8
= 0. 4 2 1 0 5 2 6 3 1 5 7 8 9 4 7 3 6 8
19
9
= 0. 4 7 3 6 8 4 2 1 0 5 2 6 3 1 5 7 8 9
19
10
= 0. 5 2 6 3 1 5 7 8 9 4 7 3 6 8 4 2 1 0
19
11
= 0. 5 7 8 9 4 7 3 6 8 4 2 1 0 5 2 6 3 1
19
12
= 0. 6 3 1 5 7 8 9 4 7 3 6 8 4 2 1 0 5 2
19
13
= 0. 6 8 4 2 1 0 5 2 6 3 1 5 7 8 9 4 7 3
19
14
= 0. 7 3 6 8 4 2 1 0 5 2 6 3 1 5 7 8 9 4
19
15
= 0. 7 8 9 4 7 3 6 8 4 2 1 0 5 2 6 3 1 5
19
16
= 0. 8 4 2 1 0 5 2 6 3 1 5 7 8 9 4 7 3 6
19
17
= 0. 8 9 4 7 3 6 8 4 2 1 0 5 2 6 3 1 5 7
19
18
= 0. 9 4 7 3 6 8 4 2 1 0 5 2 6 3 1 5 7 8
19
6. It may appear that there is no way to predict whether a given fraction in its most
simplified form will be recurring or terminating. However, there is a way we can tell.
While looking for this method, we will just use unitary fractions (those with a numerator
of 1), because whether a fully simplified fraction converts to a terminating or recurring
decimal depends only on the denominator.

Complete the table below:

Prime factors of
the Decimal Terminating or
Fraction
Equivalent
denominator recurring?
1
2
1
3
1
4
1
5
1
6
1
7
1
8
1
9
1
10
1
11
1
12
1
13
1
14
1
15
1
16
 Prime factors of
Decimal
Fraction the Terminating or
Equivalent
denominator recurring?
1
17
1
18
1
19
1
20
1
24
1
25
1
30
1
35
1
40
1
45
1
50
V. Investigation Proper

1.

1
= 0. 1 4 2 8 5 7 27
7
2
= 0. 2 8 5 7 1 4 27
7
3
= 0. 4 2 8 5 7 1 27
7
4
= 0. 5 7 1 4 2 8 27
7
5
= 0. 7 1 4 2 8 5 27
7
6
= 0. 8 5 7 1 4 2 27
7
Total 27 27 27 27 27 27

2. The same digits are in each cycle.

The table is a semi-magic square; the leading diagonals do not total 27.

3.

4. 142857 x 1 = 142857
142857 x 2 = 285714
142857 x 3 = 428571
142857 x 4 = 571428
142857 x 5 = 714285
142857 x 6 = 857142

Each solution contains the same digits of the cycle.

 5. A true magic square with the rows, colums, and leading diagonals totalling 81
Total
1
= 0. 0 5 2 6 3 1 5 7 8 9 4 7 3 6 8 4 2 1 81
19
2
= 0. 1 0 5 2 6 3 1 5 7 8 9 4 7 3 6 8 4 2 81
19
3
= 0. 1 5 7 8 9 4 7 3 6 8 4 2 1 0 5 2 6 3 81
19
4
= 0. 2 1 0 5 2 6 3 1 5 7 8 9 4 7 3 6 8 4 81
19
5
= 0. 2 6 3 1 5 7 8 9 4 7 3 6 8 4 2 1 0 5 81
19
6
= 0. 3 1 5 7 8 9 4 7 3 6 8 4 2 1 0 5 2 6 81
19
7
= 0. 3 6 8 4 2 1 0 5 2 6 3 1 5 7 8 9 4 7 81
19
8
= 0. 4 2 1 0 5 2 6 3 1 5 7 8 9 4 7 3 6 8 81
19
9
= 0. 4 7 3 6 8 4 2 1 0 5 2 6 3 1 5 7 8 9 81
19
10
= 0. 5 2 6 3 1 5 7 8 9 4 7 3 6 8 4 2 1 0 81
19
11
= 0. 5 7 8 9 4 7 3 6 8 4 2 1 0 5 2 6 3 1 81
19
12
= 0. 6 3 1 5 7 8 9 4 7 3 6 8 4 2 1 0 5 2 81
19
13
= 0. 6 8 4 2 1 0 5 2 6 3 1 5 7 8 9 4 7 3 81
19
14
= 0. 7 3 6 8 4 2 1 0 5 2 6 3 1 5 7 8 9 4 81
19
15
= 0. 7 8 9 4 7 3 6 8 4 2 1 0 5 2 6 3 1 5 81
19
16
= 0. 8 4 2 1 0 5 2 6 3 1 5 7 8 9 4 7 3 6 81
19
17
= 0. 8 9 4 7 3 6 8 4 2 1 0 5 2 6 3 1 5 7 81
19
18
= 0. 9 4 7 3 6 8 4 2 1 0 5 2 6 3 1 5 7 8 81
19
Total
Total
Total
6. Whether or not the decimal representation of a fraction will terminate depends
on the prime factors of the denominator.

Prime factors of
the Decimal Terminating or
Fraction
Equivalent
denominator recurring?
1
2 0.5 Terminating
2
1
3 0.333333333 Recurring
3
1
2 0.25 Terminating
4
1
5 0.2 Terminating
5
1
2 and 3 0.166666667 Recurring
6
1
7 0.142857143 Recurring
7
1
2 0.125 Terminating
8
1
3 0.111111111 Recurring
9
1
2 and 5 0.1 Terminating
10
1
11 0.090909091 Recurring
11
1
2 and 3 0.083333333 Recurring
12
1
13 0.076923077 Recurring
13
1
2 and 7 0.071428571 Recurring
14
1
3 and 5 0.066666667 Recurring
15
1
2 0.0625 Terminating
16
1
17 0.058823529 Recurring
17
1
2 and 3 0.055555556 Recurring
18
 Prime factors of
Decimal
Fraction the Terminating or
Equivalent
denominator recurring?
1
19 0.052631579 Recurring
19
1
2 and 5 0.05 Terminating
20
1
2 and 3 0.041666667 Recurring
24
1
5 0.04 Terminating
25
1
2, 3 and 5 0.033333333 Recurring
30
1
5 and 7 0.028571429 Recurring
35
1
2 and 5 0.025 Terminating
40
1
3 and 5 0.022222222 Recurring
45
1
2 and 5 0.02 Terminating
50

Interesting discoveries…

● Any denominator containing 2 or 5 give us a non-recurring decimal (terminating

decimal)

1/2 = 0.5
1/4 = 1/(2*2) = 0.25
1/8 = 1/ (2*2*2) = 0.125
1/5 = 0.2
1/25 = 1/(5*5) = 0.04 and so on

● Any multiple of 3 will give us a recurring decimal.

1/3 = 0.333333333…

1/6 = 0.166666666…

1/9 = 0.111111111...
 Interesting Discoveries cont...

● The number of digits in a repeating pattern is called the period.

Eg: 0.121212… has a period of 2.

0.74537453… has a period of 4.

● To convert a common fraction to a decimal fraction we divide the numerator (top

number) by the denominator (bottom number). We stop the division when the decimal
either terminates (there is no remainder) or recurs (a pattern of digits begins
repeating).

VI. SUMMARY OF RESULTS/FINDINGS

● Fractions can be converted to decimals by performing long division or by using a

calculator.

● We can determine which fractions are terminating and which fractions are recurring
decimals by examining the denominator of the fraction.

● Decimals formed by converting fractions are either terminating or recurring.

● Whether or not the decimal representation of a fraction will terminate depends on

the prime factors of the denominator.

● Recurring decimals can have either one digit recurring or a whole group of digits that
recur together.

● Only fractions with denominators whose prime factors are 2 and/or 5 only have
terminating decimals.
VII. CONCLUSIONS/CONJECTURES

1. Any multiple of 3 will give us a recurring decimal.

2. Any multiple of 7 will give us a recurring decimal.
3. Any prime denominator will give us a recurring decimal.
4. Only fractions with denominators whose prime factors are 2 and/or 5 only have
terminating decimals.

We therefore conclude that a recurring decimal is one whose digits after the decimal
point do not end, but repeat the same sequence forever. They are also referred to as
repeating or periodic decimals
VIII. APPENDICES

Bibliography/References

Colinbillet, S (2013) Recurring Decimals retrieved from:

https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/maths-ks4-recurring-decimals-into-fractions-
investigation-presentation-and-worksheet-11055567

John Wiley and Sons Australia, LTD 2004

www.jaconline.com.au/mathsquestqld/book1/.../investigations/MQQLD1-terminating....

Absorb Mathematics for GCSE by Kadie Armstrong retrieved from:

https://www.patana.ac.th/parents/curriculum/maths/units/DJFMa007.html

Submitted by:

Gabriel Xantino F. Balo B1 Anthony Joshua M. Barnachea B2

V – Simplicity V - Simplicity
 Acknowledgment

We would like to thank our God Almighty for giving us strength, wisdom and

knowledge to finish our Math investigation. We would like to thank also our

parents for their valuable help in the success of our assignment. They guide us in

this topic by providing some useful information through internet and provided us

a computer and printer. We also thank our Math teacher, Ms. Joy, for patiently

teaching us different topics in Math and for giving us this task. Because through

this Math investigation we were able to improve our mathematical thinking and

helps us, students to be more creative and resourceful. We would like to take

this opportunity to thank again for all who had really help us out in successfully

finishing our assignment. Thank you.