How is the decimal 0.875 expressed as a fraction?

• A. 5/8
• B. 3/4
• C. 7/8
• D. 1/2

Answer: (C)

To express the decimal 0.875 as a fraction, you start by recognizing that the decimal represents the value in tenths, hundredths, and thousandths. The digit 8 is in the tenths place, 7 is in the hundredths place, and 5 is in the thousandths place.

Thus, 0.875 can be rewritten as 875/1000. To simplify this fraction, you find the greatest common divisor (GCD) of 875 and 1000, which is 125. Dividing both the numerator and the denominator by 125 yields:

875 ÷ 125 = 7

1000 ÷ 125 = 8

This simplifies to 7/8, confirming that the decimal 0.875 is expressed as the fraction 7/8.

Understanding how to convert decimals to fractions is crucial in pipefitting for tasks that involve measurements and calculations, where precision is necessary. The other options provided do not match this conversion because they refer to different decimal values; for example, 5/8 is equivalent to 0.625 and 3/4 is equal to 0.75, both of which do not represent 0.875.