:decimal numbers are based on ten. digits beyond the decimal point stand for numbers that are ,powers of ten. the first digit beyond the decimal point stands for the digit times ten to the power -1 which expressed as a decimal is , or in writing it is commonly called a second digit beyond the decimal point stands for this digit times ten to the power -2 which expressed as a decimal is 0.01 and in writing is commonly called a given the following decimal number 483.427, there is 7 thousandths, and there is 2 times 10 to the power -2, and is 4 and 0.1.