What is the purpose of a decimal point?

The decimal point serves a crucial function in the representation of numbers, specifically indicating the boundary between whole numbers and fractional parts. When you consider a number with a decimal point, the position of the digits to the left represents whole numbers, while the position to the right represents fractions.

In the case of your answer, which identifies the decimal point as separating the ones place from the tenths place, this is precisely accurate. For instance, in the number 5.3, the digit 5 is in the ones place, while the digit 3 located immediately to the right of the decimal point represents the tenths place, indicating three tenths. This understanding is fundamental in concepts surrounding place value and is essential in performing various mathematical operations with decimals.

Understanding this separation is critical for students, as it lays the groundwork for more advanced topics in mathematics, such as fractions, percentages, and higher-level arithmetic operations.