Pronunciation: [dˈɛsɪmə͡lz] (IPA) 
The word "decimals" is spelt with the IPA phonetic transcription /ˈdɛsɪməlz/. The first syllable "dec" is pronounced with a short "e" sound as in "deck", followed by the vowel sound "i" as in "lift". The second syllable "i" is pronounced with the short "i" sound as in "igloo", and the final syllable "mals" is pronounced with the schwa sound followed by the consonant sound "m" and the vowel sound "al" as in "pal".
Decimals are a numerical representation of a fraction or a part of a whole, expressed in base 10. They are a way to express numbers in a more precise manner, especially when dealing with non-whole quantities. In a decimal, the whole number part is separated from the fractional part by a decimal point.
The decimal system is based on powers of 10, and each digit to the right of the decimal point represents a decreasing factor of ten. For example, in the number 3.45, the digit 3 represents three whole units, while the digits 4 and 5 represent four tenths and five hundredths, respectively.
Decimals are versatile and widely used in everyday life, mathematics, and various fields such as science, finance, and statistics. They allow for more precise measurements, calculations, and comparisons. Decimals are used to represent both positive and negative quantities, as well as fractions and percentages.
Decimals can be manipulated using arithmetic operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, following specific rules. They can also be converted into fractions by writing the decimal as a numerator over a denominator that corresponds to the place value of the rightmost digit.
In summary, decimals are a numerical representation of fractional or non-whole values, expressed using base 10 and a decimal point. They provide a precise way of conveying quantities and are widely used across various disciplines.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "decimals" originated from the Latin word "decimalis", which is derived from "decimus", meaning "tenth". It is connected to the Latin root "decem", meaning "ten". The term was first used to describe a numerical system based on powers of ten. The concept of decimals was introduced during the Middle Ages and further developed by mathematicians like Simon Stevin in the 16th century.
