Decimal
Decimal
Decimal (pronunciation: /ˈdɛsɪməl/), from the Latin word decimus, meaning 'tenth', is a system of numbers or measurement that uses 10 as a base. The decimal system is the most widely used number system in the world today.
Etymology
The term decimal comes from the Latin word decimus, which means 'tenth'. It was first used in English in the late 16th century to describe a number system where each digit is worth ten times the digit to its right.
Definition
In the decimal system, numbers are expressed in base 10, which means that each place in a number represents a power of 10. For example, the number 123 represents 1 hundred (10^2), 2 tens (10^1), and 3 ones (10^0).
Related Terms
- Decimal point: A symbol used to separate the whole number part from the fractional part of a number.
- Decimal fraction: A fraction whose denominator is a power of 10.
- Decimal place: The position of a number to the right of the decimal point.
- Decimal system: A system of numbers or measurement that uses 10 as a base.
Usage in Medicine
In medicine, the decimal system is used in various ways. For example, it is used to express blood pressure readings, where the systolic pressure is separated from the diastolic pressure by a decimal point. It is also used in the measurement of certain substances in the blood, such as glucose, where the concentration is often expressed in millimoles per liter (mmol/L).
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Decimal
- Wikipedia's article - Decimal
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