Example of Division

Dividing any number by 10 is easy; simply move the decimal point one space to the left
678/10 = 67.8

Dividing any number by 100 is easy; simply move the decimal point two spaces to the left.
985/100 = 9.85

How to divide a two-digit number by a one-digit number (e.g. 56 ÷ 8)?

• Write the divisor, which is 8 before the division bracket and write the dividend that is 56 under it.

     
8)56

• Consider the first digit of the dividend that is 5. It is smaller than 8 so we cannot divide it by 8. Now examine the first two numbers of the dividend that is 56 and determine how many 8''s it has. In this case 56 contains seven eights (7*8=56). Write the 7 on top of the division bracket.

   7 
8)56

• Multiply the 8 by 7 and write the result 56 below the 56 of the dividend.

   7 
8)56
  56

• Put a line under the 56 and subtract it from 56 (56-56=0). Since the number is 0 the division is completed and 7 is the final answer.

How to divide a three-digit number by a one-digit number (e.g. 506 ÷ 8)?

• Write the divisor, which is 8 before the division bracket, and write the dividend that is 506 under it.

     
8)506

• Consider the first digit of the dividend that is 5. It is smaller than 8 therefore we cannot divide it by 8. Next take the first two numbers of the dividend that is 50, and determine how many 8''s it has. In this case 50 contains eight sixes (8*6=48) but not seven (8*7=56). Write the 6 above the division bracket.

   6 
8)506

• Multiply the 8 by 6 and write the result (48) below the 50 of the dividend.

   6 
8)506
  48

• Put a line under the 48 and subtract it from 50 (50- 48 = 2) and write 2 below 48. Bring down the next number 6 from the dividend 506 and write it to the right of the other 2.

   6 
8)506
  48
   26

• Divide 26 by 8. In this case 26 contains three eights. Write 3 on top of the division bracket to the right of the 6.

   63
8)506
  48
   26

• Multiply 8 by 3 and write the result that is 24 below the dividend 26. Put a line under 24

   63
8)506
  48
   26
   24

• Subtract 24 from 26 to give 2. The number 2 is called the remainder and indicates that there were two left over.

   63 R 2
8)506
  48
   26
   24
    2

How to divide a three-digit number by a one-digit number (e.g. 425 ÷ 5)?

• Write the divisor, which is 5 before the division bracket, and write the dividend (425) under it.

     
5)425

• Consider the first digit of the dividend that is 4. It is smaller than 5 therefore we cannot divide it by 5. Next consider the first two numbers of the dividend (42) and determine how many 5''s it holds. In this case 42 holds five eights (5*8=40) but not six (5*9=45). Write the 8 on top of the division bracket.

   8 
5)425

• Multiply the 5 by 8 and write the result (40) below 42 of the dividend.

   8 
5)425
  40

• Put a line under the 40 and subtract it from 42 (42-40=2) and write 2 below 40 of the dividend. Bring down the next number, which is 5 from the 425, and write it to the right of the 2.

   8 
5)425
  40
   25

• Divide 25 by 5. In this case 25 contains five fives. Write 5 on top of the division bracket to the right of the 8.

   85
5)425
  40
   25

• Multiply the 5 of the quotient by the divisor that is 5, and write the result under the dividend. Subtract 25 from 25 to get an answer 0. This results that there is nothing left over and 5 can be evenly divided into 425 to get a quotient of 85.

   85
5)425
  40
   25
   25
  0

The number 8 divided by 2 could be written as 8/2 or 8 ÷ 2.

It is impossible to divide a number by 0.

If any number is multiplied by 1, answer is that number.

The Division facts for two and three are given in the following table.

How to multiply two numbers (for example 75 * 25) with a calculator?

• Type the first number by pressing the 7 button and the 5 button.
• Press the / operation button.
• Type the number 25 by pressing the 2 button and the 5 button.
• Press the = button to get the result.

Try some yourself:

Exercise 1

1. 144 ÷ 8 =
2. 434 ÷ 2 =
3. 7675 ÷ 25 =
4. 555 ÷ 5 =
5. 2799 ÷ 9 =
6. 6578 ÷ 10 =
7. 66 ÷ 3 =
8. 2435 ÷ 5 =
9. 4575 ÷ 25 =
10. 567 ÷ 3 =

Answers to exercise 1

1. 18
2. 217
3. 307
4. 111
5. 311
6. 657.8
7. 22
8. 487
9. 183
10. 189