Simple fractions consist of a top number (numerator) and a bottom number (denominator) separated by a line. A simple fraction is effectively a division calculation that has not been solved. There are instances in laboratory medicine where displaying either a fraction, decimal number, or percentage is advantageous in order to visualize and/or analyze data. It is important to be able to inter-convert a simple fraction to a decimal number and then to a percentage and in reverse.
The example in the image walks through the process of converting a fraction into a decimal and finally into a percentage.
Here are some other examples of how numbers as fractions can be converted into decimals and percentages or decimals and percentages can be converted to fractions:
- (2/5) = 0.4 = 40%
- (3/20) = 0.15 = 15%
- 1% = 0.01 = (1/100)
- 60% = 0.6 = (6/10) = (3/5)
