Simply math procedure question

[Riddick]

What is the proper way to express a repeating fraction such as 1/3.

Is it:

A) 0.3 with a bar over it

B) 0.33 with a bar over the second 3

C) 0.33 with a bar over both 3's

D) 0.333 with a bar over all three 3's

E) All of the above are perfectly acceptable

F) All of the above are acceptable but ____ is the most commonly used and the rest make you look uneducated

[Borodog]

I dislike that notation. The notation I prefer is 0.333...

But all are acceptable.

[Nottom]

I think the preferred way once you get out of high school is to just leave it as a fraction.

If you need to change it to a fraction, just take it out to however many significant digits are appropriate.

[boncher]

F(A)
I agree that 1/3 is most useful.

[Siegmund]

A is standard. C and D are less so, B worse still. They are all "correct" but ideally the position of the bar tells you how to convert back to fraction form. A takes you right to 3/9, C and D to 33/99 and 333/999, and B to 3/10 + 3/90.

Also common in older texts is 0.3 with a dot over the 3. "0.333..." is the worst of the bunch, as "..." leaves it to the reader to discover a pattern for himself and people DO make stupid assumptions given the chance. Even that won't cause confusion for this simple of a fraction.

[Demiparadigm]

How does the bar work? I know the notation, and what it means, but when you said the 0.3 <u>3</u> gives you 3/10 + 3/90... I don't get that part.
(pretend the underline is the bar)

How would you convert 0. <u>63</u> to a fraction as opposed to 0.63 <u>63</u> I guess what I mean is I don't get how to convert it back to a fraction at all... never learned that in school.

[Darryl_P]

A) is best but all are acceptable.

[Homer]

[ QUOTE ]
How does the bar work? I know the notation, and what it means, but when you said the 0.3 <u>3</u> gives you 3/10 + 3/90... I don't get that part.
(pretend the underline is the bar)

How would you convert 0. <u>63</u> to a fraction as opposed to 0.63 <u>63</u> I guess what I mean is I don't get how to convert it back to a fraction at all... never learned that in school.

[/ QUOTE ]

N = 0.63bar

100N = 63.63bar

now, subtract...100N-N = 99N = 63

N = 63/99

If you had 3 numbers repeating, like 0.123bar, it would be:

N = 0.123bar

1000N = 123.123bar

1000N-N = 999N = 123

N = 123/999

[Brom]

To OP,
I would leave it as a fraction in my practices wherever possible. If I had to convert to a decimal, I would give myself the necessary amount of significant digits with a bar over it (assuming I need to present this to someone). If it was only for my own purposes, I would usually leave it at 0.3 (with the bar), unless I felt I would make a mistake somewhere down the line by leaving out digits. FWIW I'm in school for engineering.