How to Do Long Division With Remainders in 3 Steps, by Pip: 11+ Practice on YouTube. 11 min 12 s.
- Video length
- 11 min 12 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Write the number you are dividing inside the bus stop shape, with the dividing number outside on the left. For 635 ÷ 4, put 635 inside and 4 outside.
Start at the left digit. Ask how many times 4 fits into 6. It fits once, so write 1 on top above the 6.
Multiply 1 by 4 to get 4 and subtract it from 6. The leftover is 2. Carry that 2 to sit in front of the next digit, 3, making 23.
Ask how many times 4 fits into 23. It fits 5 times, since 5 times 4 is 20. Write 5 on top above the 3 and subtract 20 from 23 to leave 3.
Carry the 3 in front of the last digit, 5, making 35. Ask how many times 4 fits into 35. It fits 8 times, since 8 times 4 is 32. Write 8 on top.
Subtract 32 from 35 to get 3. Nothing is left to bring down, so 3 is the remainder. Write it as r3 next to the answer, giving 158 r3.
Check your answer by multiplying. 158 times 4 is 632, then add the remainder 3 to get 635. If it matches the number you started with, the division is right.
Watch for a zero in the answer. In 412 ÷ 4, 4 goes into 4 once, then into 1 zero times, so write 0 on top, then carry the 1 to make 12. The answer is 103, not 13.
Tips and common mistakes
The remainder must always be smaller than the number you are dividing by, so a remainder of 4 or more when dividing by 4 means you missed a share.
Write the answer digits directly above the digits they came from, so place value stays lined up.
Use the check step every time: multiply the answer by the dividing number and add the remainder.
In word problems, decide whether the remainder means rounding up, for example when you need enough buses for everyone.
Questions
Why do I carry the leftover to the next digit?
The leftover is worth ten times more once it moves one place to the right, so it joins the next digit to make a bigger number to share. That is why 2 left over from the 6 becomes 23 with the 3.
What if the dividing number does not fit into the first digit?
Then start with the first two digits instead. For example, in 156 ÷ 3, 3 does not fit into 1, so ask how many times 3 fits into 15.
How do I write a remainder in my answer?
Write the whole number answer first, then r and the leftover, such as 158 r3. You can also write it as a fraction with the remainder on top and the dividing number below.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
