What is the first step in changing fractions into decimals?

The first step in changing fractions into decimals involves dividing the numerator by the denominator. This process directly transforms the fraction into its equivalent decimal form. For example, in the fraction 1/2, dividing 1 by 2 yields 0.5, which represents the same value as the original fraction.

Adding zeroes to the numerator does not help in directly converting a fraction to a decimal. Instead, it may create confusion or misinterpret the value. Converting to percentages also requires a division step first—after obtaining the decimal you can then multiply by 100 to find the percentage. Subtracting the numerator from the denominator does not have any relevance in the conversion process and would not yield a decimal result.

Thus, dividing the numerator by the denominator is the straightforward and correct method for converting fractions to decimals.