place of decimals

place of decimals (plural places of decimals)

1. (arithmetic, dated, chiefly UK, usually in the plural) A decimal place.
   • 1841, Charles Hutton, Thomas Stephens Davies, A Course of Mathematics in Two Volumes, Composed for the Use of the Royal Military Academy, page 56:

     It will always be better to calculate one place of decimals more than are required by the question.

   • 1980, Michael H. Stone, The Borderline Syndromes: Constitution, Personality, and Adaptation, page 101:

     Find the positive root of the equation e^x – 3x = 0, correct to 3 places of decimals.

   • 1995, G. N. Watson, A Treatise on the Theory of Bessel Functions, page 655:

     In consequence of the need of Tables of J_n (x) with fairly large values of n and x for Astronomical purposes, Hansen constructed a Table of J₀ (x) and J_i (x) to six places of decimals with a range from x = 0 to x = 10.0 with interval 0.1.

   • 2001, Keith Pledger, Edexcel GCSE Mathematics, page 103:

     To round a decimal correct to one place of decimals (1 d.p.) you look at the second place of decimals.

   • 2005, Veerarajan & Ramachandran, Numerical Methods: With Programs In C, pages 3–54:

     Use Newton Raphson method to find the values of (i) VT2 and (ii) —, correct to four places of decimals.

   • 2006, Bansi Lal, Topics in Integral Calculus, page 272:

     In the application of Simpson's rule, when the number of places of decimals to which the answer is required, is not mentioned, it is usual to calculate the answer correct to three places of decimals.