What is Division?

Division is splitting into equal parts or groups.

For example if there are 12 chocolates, and 3 friends want to share them, how do they divide the chocolates? The answer would be 12 divided by 3 is 4: they get 4 each.

As a class we talked about how division is the opposite to multiplication. Therefore if we know the multiplication fact we can solve the division problem.

Why?  Think of the numbers in rows and columns like in this illustration:

Multiplication                               Division

3 groups of 5 make 15…                so… 15 divided by 3 is 5

and also:
5 groups of 3 make 15…               so.. 15 divided by 5 is 3.
Remainders
Sometimes when dividing there is something left over. It is called the remainder.

For Example: There are 7 flowers to share with 2 girls.

But 7 cannot be divided exactly into 2 groups,
so each girl gets 3 flowers,
but there will be 1 left over:

We can then check by multiplying

If we look at it “the other way around” we can check our answer:

2 x 3 + 1 = 7

2 groups of 3 plus 1 equals 7.

We practiced this skill with some larger numbers and using the short division method.

Here is a video to remind everyone on how we solved these division problems using larger numbers

There is another strategy using long division which we didn’t use during class time but is still a good strategy to use if you prefer it. Check out this video to see more…

What do you find challenging about division?

Do you feel more confident after practsing the skills over the past week?

When do you think you could use your division skills in every day life? Can you give an example? 

5 thoughts on “What is Division?

  1. Dear Mrs B,
    I find the most difficult thing about division is the remainders and trying to sum it up…….

    And I do feel really good that I know most of my division facts……..

    FROM CHRISTIAN🔫

  2. Dear mrs Baldwin,
    I do feel more confident after learning more about it.
    I don’t actually think division is challenging,now that I’ve learned more about it.

    From Jackson

  3. Dear Mrs baldwin,

    I don’t find division hard or simple.

    yes i do feel more confident doing division

    if you wanted to do mathletics and you did division then thats where you would

    1. Dear Connor,
      I know what you mean when you say it’s not hard or simple. Im a bit like that to. When I do long division and short division and there is remainders, I put decimals instead of just writing “r 3” or “r 6”, so I would write (answer) “37” (and then the decimal point,)”.” (and then the decimals) “333” rec (rec means recurring-just short.) So my whole answer would be 37.333 rec / 37, 1/3.

      From Hayden

  4. DearMrsBaldwin, I don’t find division very challenging because we learnt all about it.

    DearMrsBaldwin, I feel way more confident now that i have practiced it.

    DearMrsBaldwin, you can use division skills if you work at bank because you may have to count up money. from Kain M

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