A decimal is a way of expressing numbers that are not whole, using a point called a decimal point. This point separates the whole number part from the fractional part. For example, in the number 3.14, the "3" is the whole number, and "14" represents the fraction, which is part of a whole.
Decimals are commonly used in everyday life, such as in money, measurements, and statistics. They allow for more precise calculations than whole numbers. For instance, when dealing with currency like dollars and cents, decimals help represent values accurately, such as $2.75.