To convert \( \frac{1}{4}% \) to a decimal, follow these steps:
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Convert the percentage to a fraction: \[ \frac{1}{4}% = \frac{1}{4} \div 100 = \frac{1}{4} \times \frac{1}{100} = \frac{1}{400} \]
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Convert the fraction to a decimal: To compute \( \frac{1}{400} \): \[ \frac{1}{400} = 0.0025 \]
Thus, \( \frac{1}{4}% \) as a decimal is \( 0.0025 \).
What the reporter did wrong:
The reporter incorrectly used \( 0.25 \) instead of \( 0.0025 \). The mistake stems from misunderstanding the conversion of percentages to decimals; 0.25 represents \( 25% \), not \( \frac{1}{4}% \).