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ManualsBrandsTexas Instruments ManualsCalculatorsTI-34 MultiView

Overview

Students investigate fraction and decimal

representations to determine when a base-ten fraction

will be represented as a terminating or repeating

decimal. Students use v on the calculator to enter

fraction families and observe patterns.

Math Concepts

• fraction and

decimal

representations

• base ten system

• factors

Materials

• TI-34 MultiView

• student activity

Introduction

Students will change fractions into decimals by

creating equivalent fractions using their

understanding of factors and multiples of powers of

10. The first part of the activity should be done by

hand. If students of various learning styles need

support with this investigation, allow calculator use,

but only if they are not reasonably able to think of

the necessary calculation. Later, they will use the

calculator to validate their work, continue the

investigation, and look for patterns.

Activity

The first set of fraction families has denominators

whose factors include only powers of 2, powers of 5,

or some combination of these factors of 10. The

students will build tables by hand to see the decimal

representation of the fractions. They should notice

that these fractions are also represented by

terminating decimals.

The second set of fraction families has denominators

that do not have 2 or 5 as a factor. They notice that

these fractions can not be written in a terminating

decimal representation. The activity uses the

calculator display to help them see patterns and

investigate repeating decimal representations.

³ Hint: Before you begin, press q

and make sure that the

TI-34 MultiView™ calculator is set

to the default mode settings.

Press

- to return to the Home

screen.

Next stop — fraction terminal