Long Division Method

Long division is a mathematical method used to divide large numbers into smaller parts. Mastering the long division method is a crucial skill for primary school kids, as it enhances their understanding of division and lays the foundation for more complex mathematical concepts.

This teaching guide aims to provide step-by-step instructions and activities to help primary students master the long division method. kids will develop a solid foundation in long division, setting them up for success in more advanced mathematical concepts.

Before learning long division, students should have a solid understanding of basic division concepts, including division as sharing and repeated subtraction. They should also be familiar with multiplication tables and have a good grasp of place value.

Parts of long division :

Long division is a method used to divide larger numbers and will help make the division process easier and more systematic. In a long division problem, we have four important parts : dividends, divisors, quotients, and remainders. The dividend is the big number we want to divide, and the divisor is the number by which we divide. The quotient is what we get as the answer, and the remainder is what’s left over when we can’t divide anymore.

Steps involved in long division :

  1. Divide : Determine how many times the divisor can be divided into the leftmost digit(s) of the dividend.
  2. Multiply : Multiply the quotient obtained in the previous step by the divisor.
  3. Subtract : Subtract the product obtained in the previous step from the dividend.
  4. Bring down : Bring down the next digit(s) of the dividend.
  5. Repeat : Repeat the process with the new dividend until there are no more digits remaining.

Long division with different conditions can be done as following :

A. When the first digit of the dividend is equal to or greater than the divisor.

For example, let’s divide 4528 by 4

B. When the first digit of the dividend is less than the divisor.. When the first digit of the dividend is equal to or greater than the divisor.

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Uncle Math 9 to 11 Years App Banner

C. When the first digit of the dividend is less than the divisor.. When the first digit of the dividend is equal to or greater than the divisor.

Let’s divide 900 by 5 as an example.

C. When divisor is of 2 digits.

These are some examples of how we can do long division with remainders. Long division can also be used for dividing decimals.

Regular practice and reinforcement will help kids develop a strong foundation in long division method and lay the groundwork for more advanced concepts in the future.


 

Posters

Teaching long division method with kid-friendly, clear, and easy-to-understand posters from Uncle Math School by Fun2do Labs :


 

Stories

Ignite kids’ curiosity with engaging stories for role play and skits, making the learning of this concept an exciting and effective experience. Teaching long division method through stories from Uncle Math School by Fun2do Labs :

Text of Stories


 

Activities

Learning long division method can be made enjoyable by incorporating interactive games and activities.

Pretend Shopping :

Kids love pretend play, and this activity is the best way to teach kids such a complex method of long division, as they get to learn such an important concept while playing. This activity can be executed by following the steps : 

    1. Split the group of kids into teams of 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 members each.

    1. Put price tags on different items and distribute fake money to kids.

    1. Instruct kids to select any item and pretend to shop for the same, with the condition of buying any item with the equal contribution of each member of the team.

    1. Now, kids in a team will divide the price of the item (dividend) by the number of team members (divisor) to get the exact amount required to be contributed by each member (quotient).


 

Worksheets

Help your kids practise long division method with interesting and engaging fun worksheets and solutions from Uncle Math by Fun2do Labs.

Worksheet 585 : Long Division Method by 1 Digit Divisor
Solution 585 : Long Division Method by 1 Digit Divisor

Worksheet 586 : Long Division Method
Solution 586 : Long Division Method