Which of the following is the smallest value? 2.03 0.97 1.12 24 0.22
The correct answer and explanation is:
The smallest value among the numbers 2.03, 0.97, 1.12, 24, and 0.22 is 0.22.
Explanation:
When comparing numbers, especially decimals and whole numbers, it’s important to understand their relative positions on the number line.
- Understanding the numbers given:
- 2.03 is slightly above 2.
- 0.97 is just below 1.
- 1.12 is just above 1.
- 24 is a whole number, quite large compared to the others.
- 0.22 is less than 1, closer to zero.
- Comparing the numbers: To find the smallest number, we look at the integer parts first:
- 24 is the largest integer and clearly not the smallest.
- 2.03 is greater than 1, so it’s larger than 1.12 and 0.97.
- Among numbers less than 1, 0.97 and 0.22, 0.22 is smaller because it is less than 0.97.
- Decimal comparison:
- 0.22 means 22 hundredths.
- 0.97 means 97 hundredths.
- Putting all together: The numbers in order from smallest to largest are: 0.22 < 0.97 < 1.12 < 2.03 < 24
Why is this important?
Understanding the relative size of numbers, including decimals, is fundamental in math. Decimals represent parts of a whole, so the digits after the decimal point represent fractions less than 1.
For example:
- 0.22 means 22 parts out of 100 (less than a quarter).
- 0.97 means 97 parts out of 100 (almost one whole).
This knowledge helps in many fields such as science, finance, and everyday decision-making where precise values matter.
Summary:
The smallest value is 0.22 because it has the least value when compared to all other given numbers by understanding and comparing their decimal and whole number parts.