Writing Decimals in Words

Writing decimals in words should not be hard if you understood my lesson about reading and writing whole numbers. First, start with this interactive lesson

Here are the steps to follow when writing decimals in words

To read and write decimals, use the following steps:

Step #1

First, read the digits to the left of the decimal point as a whole number.

Step #2

Say "and" for the decimal point.

Step #3

Read the digits to the right of the decimal point as a whole number.

Step #4

Say the place name of the last digit on the right.

Let us follow the 4 steps above in order to read this number: 8278.9670

Step #1

First, read the digits to the left of the decimal point as a whole number.

The digits to the left of the decimal point is the number 8278 and we can read it as eight thousand, two hundred seventy-eight.

Step #2

Say and for the decimal point.

Step #3

Read the digits to the right of the decimal point as a whole number.

The digits to the right of the decimal point is the number 9670 and we can read it as nine thousand, six hundred seventy.

Step #4

Say the place name of the last digit on the right. The last digit on the right is 0 and its place name is ten-thousandths.

Putting it all together, we get eight thousand, two hundred seventy-eight and nine thousand, six hundred seventy ten-thousandths.

More Examples Showing how to Write Decimals in Words.

Examples:

• 25.578  is read twenty-five and five hundred seventy-eight thousandths.

• 7000.14  is read seven thousand and fourteen hundredths.

• 0.002  is read two thousandths.

• 250.00035  is read two hundred fifty and thirty five hundred-thousandths.

• 10.061  is read ten and sixty-one thousandths.

• 7001.01  is read seven thousand, one and one hundredth.

• 0.0020  is read twenty ten-thousandths.

• Notice again that there is no need to say zero and twenty ten-thousandths. 

• 488.53846 is read four hundred eighty-eight and fifty-three thousand, eight hundred forty-six hundred-thousandths.