Which of the following describes a characteristic of terminating numbers?

A terminating number is defined by its decimal representation, which comes to a definite end after a finite number of digits. This means that, unlike non-terminating numbers, which extend infinitely (like 1/3 = 0.3333...), terminating numbers will settle at a specific decimal point, such as 0.25 or 3.75. This characteristic makes them easily identifiable and allows for straightforward arithmetic operations.

The option about defining a number that continues indefinitely without repeating describes non-terminating numbers instead. The option that states terminating numbers cannot be written as fractions is incorrect since all terminating decimals can indeed be expressed as fractions. Finally, the statement that they always equal zero is inaccurate because terminating numbers can represent various values, not just zero. Thus, defining a terminating number as one that has a defined endpoint in its decimal form is the accurate representation of its characteristics.