Long Division facts for kids

Long division is a special way to divide big numbers into smaller, equal parts. It helps us figure out how many times one number (the divisor) fits into another number (the dividend), and if there's anything left over (the remainder). It's a super useful skill for math problems and real-life situations!

What is Long Division?

Long division is a step-by-step method used in arithmetic to divide numbers that are too large to divide easily in your head. It breaks down a complex division problem into a series of simpler steps involving multiplication, subtraction, and bringing down digits. This method is especially helpful when the dividend (the number being divided) has many digits.

Why Do We Use Long Division?

We use long division to solve division problems that are too complicated for mental math. Imagine you have 540 candies and want to share them equally among 12 friends. Long division helps you find out exactly how many candies each friend gets without guessing. It's also a basic skill needed for more advanced math, like algebra.

How Does Long Division Work?

Long division works by repeatedly subtracting the divisor from parts of the dividend. You start by looking at the first few digits of the dividend. Then, you figure out how many times the divisor fits into that part. You write this number above, multiply it by the divisor, and subtract the result. Finally, you bring down the next digit and repeat the process until you've used all the digits in the dividend.

Steps to Solve Long Division

Here are the main steps you follow when doing long division:

• Divide: See how many times the divisor goes into the first part of the dividend.
• Multiply: Multiply the number you just found by the divisor.
• Subtract: Subtract the result from the part of the dividend you were working with.
• Bring Down: Bring down the next digit from the dividend.
• Repeat: Keep repeating these steps until there are no more digits to bring down.

Example of Long Division

Let's divide 156 by 12 using long division.

• Step 1: How many times does 12 go into 15? It goes in 1 time. Write '1' above the '5' in 156.
• Step 2: Multiply 1 by 12. You get 12. Write '12' under the '15'.
• Step 3: Subtract 12 from 15. You get 3.
• Step 4: Bring down the next digit, which is 6. Now you have 36.
• Step 5: How many times does 12 go into 36? It goes in 3 times. Write '3' next to the '1' above.
• Step 6: Multiply 3 by 12. You get 36. Write '36' under the '36'.
• Step 7: Subtract 36 from 36. You get 0.
• Step 8: There are no more digits to bring down.

So, 156 divided by 12 is 13.