초록
In this article, We explained the historical origin and significance of decimal fraction, and draw some educational implications based on that. In general, it is accepted that decimal fraction was first invented by a Belgian man, Simon Stevin(1548-1620). In short, the idea of infinite decimal fraction refers to the ratio of the whole quantity to a unit. Stevin's idea of decimal fraction is significant for the history of mathematics in that it broke through the limit of Greek mathematics which separated discrete quantity from continuous quantity, and number from magnitude, and it became the origin of modern number concept. H. Eves chose the invention of decimal fraction as one of the "Great moments of mathematics."The method of teaching decimal fraction in our school mathematics tends to emphasize the computational aspect of decimal fraction too much and ignore the conceptual aspect of it. In teaching decimal fraction, like all the other areas of mathematics, the conceptual aspect should be emphasized as much as the computational aspect.al aspect.