decimal place
C1Formal, technical, academic
Definition
Meaning
The position of a digit to the right of the decimal point in a number, indicating its fractional value (e.g., tenths, hundredths).
In a broader sense, refers to the degree of numerical precision or accuracy specified by the number of digits retained after the decimal point.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Always refers to positions after a decimal separator; synonymous with precision in measurement and calculation contexts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Terminology identical; conceptual understanding may vary slightly due to historical use of imperial vs. metric systems in practical applications.
Connotations
In UK contexts, often associated with currency (pence) and metric conversion. In US, strongly associated with financial calculations and STEM fields.
Frequency
Higher frequency in US academic and financial contexts; comparable frequency in UK scientific and engineering discourse.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[verb] + to + [number] + decimal place(s)[verb] + [number] + decimal place(s)accurate/precise/correct + to + [number] + decimal place(s)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “move the decimal place”
- “to how many decimal places?”
- “not a decimal place out”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Financial reporting requires figures rounded to two decimal places for currency.
Academic
The experiment's results were recorded to three decimal places to ensure statistical validity.
Everyday
When dividing the bill, we calculated each person's share to two decimal places.
Technical
The GPS coordinates are accurate to five decimal places, providing sub-metre precision.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- We need to decimal-place the figure correctly before the report.
American English
- The software will automatically decimal-place the results to four digits.
adverb
British English
- The measurement was taken decimal-place precisely.
American English
- The data should be recorded decimal-place accurately.
adjective
British English
- The decimal-place accuracy was insufficient for the engineering tolerances.
American English
- Ensure you use a decimal-place calculator for precise financial modelling.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The price is £4.99—that's two numbers after the decimal point.
- Please round your answer to one decimal place, so 3.456 becomes 3.5.
- The calculation must be performed to three decimal places to meet the standard.
- Statistical significance often hinges on values accurate to several decimal places.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a decimal POINT as a dot, and the PLACES are the positions where digits stand after that point—like houses in a street getting smaller (tenths, hundredths).
Conceptual Metaphor
A HIERARCHY OF PRECISION (positions as ranks of accuracy), A MEASUREMENT SCALE (finer divisions as smaller units).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не путать с 'разрядом' для целых чисел; 'decimal place' — только для дробной части.
- В русском 'знак после запятой' (используется запятая как разделитель), в английском — 'point'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'decimal point' when meaning 'decimal place'.
- Saying 'one decimal' instead of 'one decimal place'.
- Confusing 'decimal places' with 'significant figures'.
Practice
Quiz
What does 'rounding to two decimal places' mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it's widely used in finance, science, engineering, and any field requiring precise numerical representation.
It depends on the required precision of your measurement or calculation, often dictated by context, standards, or instrument limitations.
Decimal places count digits after the decimal point only. Significant figures count all meaningful digits in a number, including those before the decimal point.
No, by definition it refers only to positions to the right of the decimal point. Positions to the left are 'integer places' or 'whole number places'.