One box with three sections, each with three balls in it.

How many of these things can I fit into these boxes?

Division is a way of answering the question: how many of these things can I fit into that box? If you divide nine by three, that’s the same as asking this question: if I have a box that will fit nine things, how many groups of three things will fit in the box?


How to do long division

Division is the same thing as multiplication, really, except you are multiplying by a fraction. Dividing 4 in half to get 2 is the same thing as multiplying 4 x 1/2 = 2.

To do long division, you need to fit one number (the divisor) into the digits of the other number (the dividend) to slowly build the answer (the quotient). This video explains one way to write down what you’re doing so you don’t lose track, but you can write it down any way that works for you.

Learn by doing – Commutation and the Number Line
More about subtraction

Bibliography and further reading about addition:

  

More about Multiplication
And more about Fractions
More about Math
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