To convert the decimal -0.125 into a fraction, follow these steps:
- Understand the Decimal: The decimal -0.125 can be separated into its whole number and decimal parts. In this case, it’s negative one hundred twenty-five thousandths.
- Convert the Decimal to a Fraction: Ignore the negative sign for the moment and convert 0.125 into a fraction. Since 0.125 is in the thousandths place, we can express it as:
- 0.125 = 125/1000 - Simplify the Fraction: Next, we need to simplify 125/1000. To do this, find the greatest common divisor (GCD) of 125 and 1000, which is 125.
Divide both the numerator and denominator by their GCD:
- 125 ÷ 125 = 1
- 1000 ÷ 125 = 8
Thus, 125/1000 simplifies to 1/8. - Include the Negative Sign: Since the original decimal is negative, we should now include that negative sign, resulting in:
-0.125 = -1/8.
Therefore, the fraction representation of -0.125 is -1/8.