In basic decimal fraction conversion, what is the value of the fraction 3/5 when it is expressed as a decimal number?

Introduction / Context:
Decimal fractions appear very frequently in aptitude exams, and you are often required to convert between fractions and decimals quickly. In this question, we are asked to convert the rational number 3/5 into its decimal form. Understanding how to perform this basic conversion helps in percentage problems, ratio comparisons, and many data interpretation questions.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• We are given the fraction 3/5.
• We need to express 3/5 as a decimal number.
• No rounding to fewer decimal places is strictly required, but the options are given with two decimal places.

Concept / Approach:
The key idea is that any fraction a/b can be written as a decimal by performing the division a ÷ b. Here, the fraction 3/5 can be turned into a decimal by dividing 3 by 5. Another useful approach is to convert the denominator to 10, 100, or 1000, because decimals are based on powers of 10. Once the denominator is turned into 10, the numerator directly indicates the decimal value.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Start with the given fraction 3/5. Step 2: Notice that 5 can be converted into 10 by multiplying by 2. Step 3: Multiply both numerator and denominator by 2: (3 * 2) / (5 * 2) = 6/10. Step 4: The fraction 6/10 is equal to the decimal 0.6. Step 5: Writing 0.6 with two decimal places gives 0.60, which matches one of the answer options.

Verification / Alternative Check:
Another way is to perform direct long division: 3 ÷ 5. Since 5 goes into 3 zero times, write 0.something and consider 30 ÷ 5. Then 5 goes into 30 exactly 6 times, giving 0.6. Writing it as 0.60 does not change its value; it is still six tenths. This confirms that 3/5 = 0.60 in decimal notation.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
0.25 corresponds to 1/4, not 3/5.
0.45 equals 45/100 or 9/20, which is less than 3/5.
0.75 is equal to 3/4, which is greater than 3/5. Therefore, these values do not represent 3/5.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse 3/5 with common benchmark fractions like 1/2 (0.5) or 3/4 (0.75). Another mistake is to think that 3 divided by 5 must be greater than 1, which is incorrect because the denominator is larger than the numerator. Remember that if the numerator is smaller than the denominator, the decimal will be less than 1.

Final Answer:
The correct decimal representation of 3/5 is 0.60.