Custom Search

Teaching division to your child

This section is a brief overview of math division. It covers the concept of sharing in equal amounts, the basic division operation and long division. The sections most relevant to you will depend on your child’s level. Use the information and resources to help review and practice what your child’s teacher will have covered in the classroom.

Once you have build an understanding of the concept of division you can try using these division worksheets.When teaching early division you should also discuss that division has an opposite. Discuss how division is about separating sets, while the opposite type of math, called multiplication is about combining sets. Explore this relationship with your child as it will be important when recalling basic facts to solve division problems. Introduce fact families (e.g. 5 x 3 =15, 3 x 5 = 15, 15 ÷ 3 = 5, 15 ÷ 5 = 3).

Dividing numbers

After your child grasps the concept of dividing and the relationship with multiplication you can start working with numbers. Be sure your child is familiar with the format and signs for division

With the concept grasped, teaching division will become more about guided practice to help your child to become familiar with the division operation (although it’s really going to be a different type of multiplication practice.) Start by practicing division by 1, 2 and 3 and then gradually move up to 9. Use the worksheets to help.

Division with remainders

Your child will most likely come across or ask about situations where division “doesn’t work.” These can be explained with the introduction of the remainder. It is an important idea to understand as the division of larger numbers will require the “carrying” of this remainder.

Teaching division with larger numbers

There are a number of methods for dividing larger numbers. One of these is shown below:

These printable worksheets will provide practice with similar types of division problems.

Long Division

There are different methods for dividing multi-digit numbers (long division). One way is a combination of estimation/ trial and error and multiplication. Another method is well explained and illustrated on mathisfun.com.