7/8 as a decimal

The quick way is to make an equivalent fraction with a bottom of 1,000, because thousandths can be written straight down as a decimal.

1. 8 × 125 = 1,000.
2. Do the same to the top: 7 × 125 = 875.
3. So 7/8 = 875/1,000, which is 875 thousandths.

875 thousandths is written 0.875: the last digit goes in the thousandths column.

You can also divide the top by the bottom. Short division gives the same answer:

1. 8 does not go into 7, so write 0 and a decimal point, then carry the 7 over as 70 tenths.
2. 8 goes into 70 8 times, remainder 6. Write 8, and carry the 6 to make 60.
3. 8 goes into 60 7 times, remainder 4. Write 7, and carry the 4 to make 40.
4. 8 goes into 40 5 times exactly. Write 5.
5. The remainder is 0, so the division stops: 7 ÷ 8 = 0.875.

To round to 2 decimal places, look at the third digit after the point. It is 5, which is 5 or more, so round up: 0.875 is 0.88 to 2 decimal places.

Every eighth is 125 thousandths: 7/8 is 7 × 125 = 875 thousandths, which is 0.875. An eighth is also half of a quarter: half of 0.25 is 0.125.

7/8 sits between 3/4 (0.75) and 1. It is exactly halfway between them.