Fractions and Decimal Equivalents

Eighths and

Thirty-

Sixty-Fourths

Quarters

Seconds

17/64

.265625

1/8

.125

7/32

.21875

19/64

.296875

1/4

.250

9/32

.28125

21/64

.328125

3/8

.375

"/32

.34375

23/64

.359375

1/2

.500

13/32

.40625

25/64

.390625

5/s

.625

15/32

.46875

27/64

.412875

3/4

.750

17/32

.53125

29/64

.453125

7/8

.875

19/32

.59375

31/64

.484375

21/32

.65625

33/64

.515625

Sixteenths

23/32

.71875

35/64

.546875

1/16

.0625

2S/32

.78125

37/64

.578125

3/16

.1875

21/32

.84375

39/64

.609375

5/16

.3125

29/32

.90625

41/64

.640625

1/16

.4375

31/32

.96875

43/64

.671875

9/16

.5625

45/64

.703125

11/16

.6875

Sixty-Fourths

47/64

.734375

13/16

.8125

1/64

.015625

49/64

.765625

15/16

`.9375

3/64

.046875

51/64

.796875

5/64

.078125

53/64

.828125

Thirty-

7/64

.109375

55/64

.859375

Seconds

9/64

.140625

57/64

.890625

1/32

.03125

11/64

.171875

59/64

.921875

3/32

.09375

13/64

.203125

61/64

.953125

5/32

.15625

15/64

.234375

63/64

.984375

Weights -The Troy System

The troy system of weighing is in general use throughout the United States and Canada for precious metals. Following are the divisions:

     1 pound= 12 ounces

     1 ounce=20 pennyweights (dwts.)

     1 pennyweight= 24 grains

The pound is not commonly used.

At the time of issuing our first "Handy Book;1 it had become general practice to weigh by ounces and decimal parts of an ounce, but for more exact weighing the grain was still being used in conjunction with dwts. For example, an article would be said to weigh 213 dwts. 6 grains. This system of combined units tended to be confusing. Therefore, we advocated the elimination of grains and substituted decimals. Referring to the weights given above, 6 grains are equal to .25 dwt., so that the

weight in terms of dwt. only would be 213.25 dwts.

It has since become almost universal practice to weigh either in ounces and decimal parts of an ounce or in dwts. and decimal parts of a dwt.

The tables to the right show the decimal equivalents of dwts. in ozs. and of grains in dwts.