Remainder facts for kids

A remainder is the number that is "left over" after you divide one whole number by another. Imagine you have 10 cookies and want to share them equally among 3 friends. Each friend gets 3 cookies. You will have 1 cookie left over. That "1" is the remainder!

Understanding Remainders

When you divide a whole number (like 13) by another whole number (like 10), you get a main answer called the quotient. You might also have a number left over, which is the remainder. The remainder is always smaller than the number you divided by. It's also always zero or a positive number.

We can write this as: Number to divide = (Quotient × Number you divide by) + Remainder

Remainder Examples

Here are some examples to help you understand:

• When you divide 13 by 10:
  • 13 = 1 × 10 + 3
  • The quotient is 1, and the remainder is 3.
• When you divide 26 by 4:
  • 26 = 6 × 4 + 2
  • The quotient is 6, and the remainder is 2.
• When you divide 56 by 7:
  • 56 = 8 × 7 + 0
  • The quotient is 8, and the remainder is 0. This means 7 divides into 56 perfectly, with nothing left over.
• When you divide 9 by 10:
  • 9 = 0 × 10 + 9
  • The quotient is 0, and the remainder is 9. This happens when the first number is smaller than the number you are dividing by.

Related Math Topics

• Divisor: A number that divides another number exactly, with no remainder.
• Long division: A method for dividing large numbers.
• Modular arithmetic: A system of arithmetic for integers, where numbers "wrap around" when they reach a certain value. Remainders are very important in modular arithmetic.
• Modulo operation: This is a math operation that finds the remainder of a division.

See also

In Spanish: Resto para niños