Decimals are a way to represent numbers that are not whole. They use a dot, called a decimal point, to separate the whole number part from the fractional part. For example, in the number 3.14, the 3 is the whole number, and the 14 represents a fraction of a whole, showing that it is slightly more than 3 but less than 4. Decimals are commonly used in everyday life, such as when measuring or dealing with money. For instance, if a candy bar costs $1.50, the 1 represents one whole dollar, while the 50 indicates half of a dollar, or fifty cents. This makes it easier to work with parts of a whole.