decimalize

Decimalize is a verb meaning to convert something into decimal form or to express it in decimal notation. In mathematics, to decimalize a fraction means representing it as a decimal number, often with rounding to a fixed precision. In computing and data presentation, decimalization commonly refers to converting internal representations (such as binary fractions) into human-readable decimal notation.

In currency and monetary systems, decimalization denotes the transition to a decimal-based denomination structure, typically with one main unit and subunits in powers of ten. A well-known example is the United Kingdom’s Decimal Day on 15 February 1971, when the country moved from pounds, shillings, and pence to pounds and pence. Other nations adopted decimal currencies during the 19th and 20th centuries, including Canada and various European and Caribbean states, to simplify pricing and calculations.

Technically, decimalization also appears in data processing and software engineering, where numbers are converted for display, reporting, or storage with a specified number of decimal places and sometimes with decimal floating-point representations to minimize rounding errors.

Etymology-wise, the term is formed from decimal and the suffix -ize. In British English, decimalisation is common, while American English tends to use decimalization.

See also: decimal point, base-10, rounding, currency reform.