Remainder (disambiguation) facts for kids

A remainder is the amount that is "left over" after you divide one number by another. It's like when you share something equally, and there's a little bit extra that can't be divided perfectly.

What is a Remainder in Math?

When you divide two integers (whole numbers), sometimes the division isn't exact. The number that is left over is called the remainder. For example, if you have 7 cookies and you want to share them equally among 3 friends, each friend gets 2 cookies. You will have 1 cookie left over. That 1 cookie is the remainder.

How Division Works with Remainders

Think of division as splitting a group into smaller, equal groups.

• The dividend is the total number you start with (like the 7 cookies).
• The divisor is the number of equal groups you want to make (like the 3 friends).
• The quotient is how many items are in each equal group (like the 2 cookies each friend gets).
• The remainder is what's left that cannot be put into another full group.

You can write this as: Dividend = (Divisor × Quotient) + Remainder

For our cookie example: 7 = (3 × 2) + 1

The remainder will always be smaller than the divisor. If the remainder is 0, it means the division is exact, and there is nothing left over.

Other Meanings of Remainder

The word "remainder" can also be used in other situations, not just in math. It still means something that is "left over" or "remaining."

Remaindered Books

Sometimes, a book publisher might have many copies of a book that didn't sell well. When they want to clear out these unsold books from their warehouses, they might sell them at a very low price. These books are called remaindered books. It's a way for the publisher to get rid of the remaining copies. You might find these books in discount stores or special sales.