WHOLE NUMBER DIVISION

Concept: Use division when you need to separate a whole into equal parts. The answer to a division problem is called a quotient. Follow these steps to divide.

Steps for Division of Whole Numbers

Step 1 | Place the whole number to be divided (the dividend) inside the bracket.
Step 2 | Place the number by which you are dividing (the divisor) outside the bracket on the left.
Step 3 | Determine how many times the divisor can be divided into the dividend, one dividend digit at a time, working from left to right, and place the answer (the quotient) above the bracket.
Step 4 | To check your result, multiply the quotient by the divisor, resulting in your original dividend.

Quotient

2

Divisor 4

Dividend

Example 1 Divide 8 by 4

Step 1 | Place the whole number to be divided (the dividend), 8, inside the bracket. |
Step 2 | Place the number by which you are dividing (the divisor), 4, outside the bracket on the left. | 4
Step 3 | Determine how many times the divisor can be divided into the dividend, one dividend digit at a time, working from left to right, and place the answer (the quotient), 2, above the bracket. | 2 4
Step 4 | To check your result, multiply the quotient (2) by the divisor (4). The result should be the original dividend (8). | 4 x 2 8

Example 2 Divide 96 by 4

Step 1 | Place the whole number to be divided (the dividend) inside the bracket. |
Step 2 | Place the number by which you are dividing (the divisor) outside the bracket on the left. | 4
Step 3 | Determine how many times the divisor (4) can be divided into the dividend (9), one dividend digit at a time, working from left to right. The answer is 2, since 2 times 4 equals 8, which is as close as we can get to 9 without going over. Write 2 above the bracket over the 9, and 8 under the 9. | 2 4 8
| Subtract 8 from 9. Place the answer, 1, under the Results Line. | 2 4 - 8 1
| Drop the next number of the dividend, 6, into the spot to the right of the 1. | 2 4 - 8 1 6
Step 3 | Determine how many times the divisor (4) can be divided into the new dividend (16) and place that number (4) above the bracket in the quotient area. 16 divided by 4 equals 4, since 4 times 4 equals 16, so place 4 above the bracket, and 16 under the 16. | 2 4 4 - 8 1 6 - 16
| Subtract 16 from 16. Place the answer, 00, under the line. | 24 4 - 8 1 6 - 16 00
Step 4 | To check your result, multiply the quotient (24) by the divisor (4). The result should be the original dividend (96). | 24 x 4 96

Example 3 Divide 7310 by 18

Step 1 | Place the whole number to be divided (the dividend), 7310, inside the bracket. |
Step 2 | Place the number by which you are dividing (the divisor), 18, outside the bracket on the left. | 18
Step 3 | Determine how many times the divisor (18) can be divided into the first number of the dividend (7), one dividend digit at a time, working from left to right, and place that number, the quotient, above the bracket. Ooops!!! | 18
| Since 18 is larger than 7, 18 does not go into 7. Write a 0 in the quotient area over the 7 in the dividend. | 0 18
| Now, look at the first two digits of the dividend, 73. Divide 18 into 73. The answer is 4, since 4 times 18 is 72 and 72 is as close to 73 as we can get without going over. Write 4 above the 3. Place 72 under 73. | 0 4 18 7 2
| Subtract 72 from 73. The answer is 1. | 0 4 18 - 7 2 1
| Bring down the next digit from the dividend (73 1 0), which is 1. | 04 18 - 72 1 1
Step 3 | Determine how many times the divisor (18) can be divided into the new dividend (11) and place that number, the quotient, above the bracket. Ooops!!! | 04 18 -72 11
| Since 18 is larger than 11, 18 does not go into 11. Write a 0 in the quotient area over the 1 in the dividend. | 04 0 18 -72 1 1
| Now bring down the next digit from the dividend (731 0), which is 0. | 0 4 0 18 - 72 1 1 0
Step 3 | Determine how many times the divisor (18) can be divided into the new dividend (110) and place that number, the quotient (6), above the bracket in the quotient area. Divide 18 into 110. The answer is 6, since 6 times 18 is 108, and 108 is as close to 110 as we can get without going over. Place the answer (108) under 110 | 0 4 0 6 18 - 7 2 110 1 0 8
| Subtract 108 from 110. There is a remainder of 2. | 0 4 0 6 18 - 7 2 1 1 0 -1 0 8 2
| Indicate the remainder (2) in the quotient area with the letter r, followed by a 2. | 0 4 0 6 r 2 18 - 7 2 1 1 0 - 1 0 8 2
Step 4 | To check your result, multiply the answer (406) with the number by which you divided (18). The product is 7308. | 406 X 18 3248 + 4060 7308
| Add the remainder, 2, to the product 7308. The result should be the original number you were dividing (7310). | 406 X 18 3248 + 4060 7308 + 2 7310