Decimaalpunt

Decimaalpunt is the Dutch word for decimal point. It is a symbol used in numerical notation to separate the integer part of a number from its fractional part. The concept of a decimal point is fundamental to the decimal system of numeration, which is widely used globally.

Historically, the need for a standardized way to represent fractional parts of numbers led to the development of various notations. While the comma was historically used as a decimal separator in many European countries, including the Netherlands, the use of the point has become more prevalent in some contexts, particularly in computing and international standards.

In the Netherlands, the comma (,) is traditionally used as the decimal separator. For example, three and a half is written as 3,5. However, in technical contexts, especially those involving international standards or computer programming, the point (.) is often used to avoid ambiguity. This means that while the common usage in everyday Dutch is a comma, the term "decimaalpunt" specifically refers to the point symbol itself and its function in decimal notation, often in contrast to the comma. Understanding this distinction is important when encountering numerical data originating from or intended for different contexts.