diff --git a/src/pkg/strconv/decimal.go b/src/pkg/strconv/decimal.go
index f572ea4a22..541553097b 100644
--- a/src/pkg/strconv/decimal.go
+++ b/src/pkg/strconv/decimal.go
@@ -102,12 +102,6 @@ func (a *decimal) Assign(v uint64) {
 	trim(a)
 }
 
-func newDecimal(i uint64) *decimal {
-	a := new(decimal)
-	a.Assign(i)
-	return a
-}
-
 // Maximum shift that we can do in one pass without overflow.
 // Signed int has 31 bits, and we have to be able to accommodate 9<<k.
 const maxShift = 27
@@ -303,32 +297,32 @@ func shouldRoundUp(a *decimal, nd int) bool {
 // If nd is zero, it means we're rounding
 // just to the left of the digits, as in
 // 0.09 -> 0.1.
-func (a *decimal) Round(nd int) *decimal {
+func (a *decimal) Round(nd int) {
 	if nd < 0 || nd >= a.nd {
-		return a
+		return
 	}
 	if shouldRoundUp(a, nd) {
-		return a.RoundUp(nd)
+		a.RoundUp(nd)
+	} else {
+		a.RoundDown(nd)
 	}
-	return a.RoundDown(nd)
 }
 
 // Round a down to nd digits (or fewer).
 // Returns receiver for convenience.
-func (a *decimal) RoundDown(nd int) *decimal {
+func (a *decimal) RoundDown(nd int) {
 	if nd < 0 || nd >= a.nd {
-		return a
+		return
 	}
 	a.nd = nd
 	trim(a)
-	return a
 }
 
 // Round a up to nd digits (or fewer).
 // Returns receiver for convenience.
-func (a *decimal) RoundUp(nd int) *decimal {
+func (a *decimal) RoundUp(nd int) {
 	if nd < 0 || nd >= a.nd {
-		return a
+		return
 	}
 
 	// round up
@@ -337,7 +331,7 @@ func (a *decimal) RoundUp(nd int) *decimal {
 		if c < '9' { // can stop after this digit
 			a.d[i]++
 			a.nd = i + 1
-			return a
+			return
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -346,7 +340,6 @@ func (a *decimal) RoundUp(nd int) *decimal {
 	a.d[0] = '1'
 	a.nd = 1
 	a.dp++
-	return a
 }
 
 // Extract integer part, rounded appropriately.
diff --git a/src/pkg/strconv/decimal_test.go b/src/pkg/strconv/decimal_test.go
index deb2e02f61..13a127f5b2 100644
--- a/src/pkg/strconv/decimal_test.go
+++ b/src/pkg/strconv/decimal_test.go
@@ -70,17 +70,23 @@ var roundtests = []roundTest{
 func TestDecimalRound(t *testing.T) {
 	for i := 0; i < len(roundtests); i++ {
 		test := &roundtests[i]
-		s := NewDecimal(test.i).RoundDown(test.nd).String()
+		d := NewDecimal(test.i)
+		d.RoundDown(test.nd)
+		s := d.String()
 		if s != test.down {
 			t.Errorf("Decimal %v RoundDown %d = %v, want %v",
 				test.i, test.nd, s, test.down)
 		}
-		s = NewDecimal(test.i).Round(test.nd).String()
+		d = NewDecimal(test.i)
+		d.Round(test.nd)
+		s = d.String()
 		if s != test.round {
 			t.Errorf("Decimal %v Round %d = %v, want %v",
 				test.i, test.nd, s, test.down)
 		}
-		s = NewDecimal(test.i).RoundUp(test.nd).String()
+		d = NewDecimal(test.i)
+		d.RoundUp(test.nd)
+		s = d.String()
 		if s != test.up {
 			t.Errorf("Decimal %v RoundUp %d = %v, want %v",
 				test.i, test.nd, s, test.up)
diff --git a/src/pkg/strconv/ftoa.go b/src/pkg/strconv/ftoa.go
index 07fe806b97..8342b6abe7 100644
--- a/src/pkg/strconv/ftoa.go
+++ b/src/pkg/strconv/ftoa.go
@@ -98,7 +98,8 @@ func genericFtoa(bits uint64, fmt byte, prec int, flt *floatInfo) string {
 	// The shift is exp - flt.mantbits because mant is a 1-bit integer
 	// followed by a flt.mantbits fraction, and we are treating it as
 	// a 1+flt.mantbits-bit integer.
-	d := newDecimal(mant)
+	d := new(decimal)
+	d.Assign(mant)
 	d.Shift(exp - int(flt.mantbits))
 
 	// Round appropriately.
@@ -184,7 +185,8 @@ func roundShortest(d *decimal, mant uint64, exp int, flt *floatInfo) {
 	// d = mant << (exp - mantbits)
 	// Next highest floating point number is mant+1 << exp-mantbits.
 	// Our upper bound is halfway inbetween, mant*2+1 << exp-mantbits-1.
-	upper := newDecimal(mant*2 + 1)
+	upper := new(decimal)
+	upper.Assign(mant*2 + 1)
 	upper.Shift(exp - int(flt.mantbits) - 1)
 
 	// d = mant << (exp - mantbits)
@@ -203,7 +205,8 @@ func roundShortest(d *decimal, mant uint64, exp int, flt *floatInfo) {
 		mantlo = mant*2 - 1
 		explo = exp - 1
 	}
-	lower := newDecimal(mantlo*2 + 1)
+	lower := new(decimal)
+	lower.Assign(mantlo*2 + 1)
 	lower.Shift(explo - int(flt.mantbits) - 1)
 
 	// The upper and lower bounds are possible outputs only if
diff --git a/src/pkg/strconv/internal_test.go b/src/pkg/strconv/internal_test.go
index 9a7f4f0867..d0fa80edfb 100644
--- a/src/pkg/strconv/internal_test.go
+++ b/src/pkg/strconv/internal_test.go
@@ -6,7 +6,11 @@
 
 package strconv
 
-func NewDecimal(i uint64) *decimal { return newDecimal(i) }
+func NewDecimal(i uint64) *decimal {
+	d := new(decimal)
+	d.Assign(i)
+	return d
+}
 
 func SetOptimize(b bool) bool {
 	old := optimize