How do you convert 0.21 (21 repeating) as a fraction?

1 Answer
Aug 29, 2017

See a solution process below:

Explanation:

First:

Let x = 0.bar21

Then let, 100x = 21.bar21

We can now subtract each side of the first equation from each side of the second equation and solve for x:

100x - x = 21.bar21 - 0.bar21

100x - 1x = (21 + 0.bar21) - 0.bar21

(100 - 1)x = 21 + 0.bar21 - 0.bar21

99x = 21 + 0

99x = 21

(99x)/color(red)(99) = 21/color(red)(99)

(color(red)(cancel(color(black)(99)))x)/cancel(color(red)(99)) = (3 xx 7)/color(red)(3 xx 33)

x = (color(red)(cancel(color(black)(3))) xx 7)/color(red)(color(black)(cancel(color(red)(3))) xx 33)

x = 7/33

0.bar21 = 7/33