Short division introduction

Now we will calculate division. Here we have an example: 12 divided by 3. Since we are dividing by 3, we have to keep track of the three times table. Ask yourself: How many times does 3 fit into 12? Four times, because 3 times 4 is 12.

So 12 divided by 3 equals 4. Here is another example: 48 divided by 4 Since we are dividing by 4, we will look at the four times table. But it is perhaps a little harder to see right away how many times four fits into 48. So we can do this: Take one digit at a time in the number to be divided. We start from the left!

The first number we are going to divide is four. Four fits into four one time. Write one here, where the answer, the quotient should be. Now we divide the next digit: eight. Four fits into eight two times.

Write two after one in the quotient. Now there are no more digits in the number we are dividing, so we are ready. Here is the answer. 48 divided by four is 12. This method of calculating is called short division.

The advantage of short division is that it becomes easier to calculate large numbers when we only work with one digit at a time. Hey, this was easy — let’s take a few more examples. 688 divided by 2. We start with the left digit in the number to be divided, six. Two fits into six three times.

Write three in the quotient. The next digit is eight. Two fits into eight four times. Write four after three in the quotient. And then the last eight in the number to be divided.

That is also four. Another four in the quotient. The answer to 688 divided by two is 344. And now, one final example? Yes, of course!

696 divided by three. Pause the video and try it yourself! If you used short division, you might have thought like this: How many times does three fit into six? Two times. A two at the beginning of the answer.

Then, three fits three times into nine, so there is a three after the two in the answer. And now, the last digit in the number to be divided, six. Three fits into six two times. A two after three in the answer. So the quotient when we divide 696 by 3 is...

232. Now we have calculated with short division. It is a way of calculating division when the numbers are so large that it is difficult to divide them in your head.