Decimal Plate (Set of 4) for School Maths Lab

Quick Answer: Decimal Plate (Set of 4) is a set of four plates that show a whole divided into equal decimal parts, so students can see tenths and hundredths as areas. Decimal plates are used to compare decimals, show that 0.3 equals 0.30 and connect decimals with fractions and percentages.

Decimals as Parts of One Whole

An area model answers a question that symbols alone cannot: how big is a decimal? When a plate representing one whole is divided into ten equal strips, each strip is one tenth, 0.1. When a plate is divided into a hundred equal squares, each square is 0.01. Students cover or shade parts of the plates and write the decimal, the fraction and, on the hundredths plate, the percentage that the covered area represents.

The plates make equivalence obvious. Three strips on the tenths plate cover exactly the same area as thirty squares on the hundredths plate, so 0.3 and 0.30 are the same amount. That single comparison clears up the belief that adding a zero makes a decimal bigger. Comparing 0.6 with 0.58 works the same way, since six strips cover more than fifty-eight small squares.

Specifications

Applications

• Showing 0.1 and 0.01 as parts of the same whole
• Proving that 0.3 and 0.30 cover the same area
• Converting between decimals, fractions and percentages on the hundredths plate
• Adding decimals such as 0.4 + 0.35 by combining covered areas
• Ordering decimals of different lengths by comparing the areas they cover

Care & Handling

• Store the four decimal plates flat so they stay true and do not warp.
• Use washable markers or loose counters rather than permanent ink on the plates.
• Wipe with a damp cloth and dry before putting the set away.

Why Choose LabEquip

Maths teachers in classes where decimals and percentages are introduced tend to buy plates for each group, and the set pairs well with the Decimal Abacus, which shows the same numbers by position rather than area. Find both in LabEquip’s Mathematics School Lab Products and reach us through the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do decimal plates show that 0.3 equals 0.30?

Three tenths strips cover exactly the same area as thirty hundredths squares. Because the covered areas match, students see that 0.3 and 0.30 are the same amount, and the extra zero changes nothing.

How are decimals linked to percentages with the plates?

A plate divided into a hundred equal squares stands for 100 percent. Covering 25 squares shows 0.25, 25/100 and 25 percent at the same time, so all three forms describe one area.

How are decimal plates different from a decimal abacus?

The plates show a decimal as a share of an area, which helps with size and equivalence. The abacus shows a decimal by the position of beads on rods, which helps with place value and carrying. Many teachers use both.

How do students add decimals with the plates?

They cover the first amount, then cover the second amount on the same whole and count the total. For 0.4 plus 0.35, four tenths plus thirty-five hundredths gives seventy-five hundredths, which is 0.75.

What does each of the four plates show?

A set of four normally includes a whole and plates divided into decimal parts such as tenths and hundredths. The exact divisions on each plate should be confirmed when you enquire, so you can plan which lessons the set covers.

Can the plates be used to teach fractions as well?

Yes. Five tenths strips cover half the plate, so 0.5 equals one half, and twenty-five hundredths squares cover a quarter. The plates help pupils move between common fractions and their decimal forms.

Last Updated: September 2026