1/5 as a Percent and Decimal

Fractions, decimals and percentages are three ways of writing the same value. This page shows, step by step, how to turn 1/5 into a decimal and then into a percent, with a few everyday examples so the method sticks.

Understanding the fraction 1/5

1/5 means 1 part out of 5 equal parts of a whole. The top number is the numerator, the part you have. The bottom number is the denominator, the total number of equal parts.

Breaking down 1/5

1 (Numerator): the part you have or use.
5 (Denominator): the total number of equal parts in the whole.

For example, if a pizza is cut into 5 equal slices and you eat 1 slice, you have eaten 1/5 of the pizza.

How to convert 1/5 into a decimal

Divide the numerator by the denominator.

Step 1: Write it as division: 1 ÷ 5

Step 2: Work it out: 1 ÷ 5 = 0.2

So, 1/5 as a decimal is 0.2.

How to convert 1/5 into a percent

Take the decimal and multiply it by 100.

Step 1: Start with the decimal: 0.2

Step 2: Multiply by 100: 0.2 × 100 = 20%

So, 1/5 as a percent is 20%.

Quick conversion table

Fraction	Decimal	Percent
1/5	0.2	20%

Visual representation of 1/5

Picture a chocolate bar cut into 5 equal pieces. Eating 1 piece means you have eaten 1/5 of the bar, which is 0.2 as a decimal and 20% as a percent. The bar, the decimal and the percent all describe the same share, just in different forms.

Why this conversion matters

Cooking and baking

If a recipe asks for 1/5 cup of sugar, that is the same as 0.2 cup, or 20% of one cup.

Time

1/5 of one hour is 60 × 1/5 = 12 minutes.

Money and shopping

If you spend 1/5 of your budget, you have spent 20% of your total money. A discount of the same size means you save that share of the price.

Another way to get the percent

Multiply the fraction by 100 directly: (1/5) × 100 = 100/5 = 20%.

Common mistakes

Dividing the wrong way round. Always divide the numerator by the denominator, not the other way round.

Forgetting the × 100 step. The decimal alone is not the percent. Multiplying by 100 is what turns it into a percent.

Real-life examples

Food: Eating 1 slice from 5 slices means you ate 20% of the pizza.

Academic scores: Finishing 1 out of 5 assignments, or scoring 1 out of 5 marks, means you finished or scored 20% of the work.

Shopping: A discount equal to 1/5 of the price saves you 20% of what you would have paid.

Learn more

For a video explanation of this topic, see Khan Academy: Fraction, decimal, and percent from a visual model.