Primary 4 maths · Operations · About 10 minutes
Divide up to four digits by one digit
Share one place at a time and record a digit for each, carrying any remainder to the next place.
Start the interactive lesson →Open practice activity
What you will learn
- Divide up to four digits by one digit
Models used: number sentences, stories, tables.
Before you start
Share a useful part first
Share 84 counters equally between 4 groups. Split 84 into 80 and 4.
The complete bar is the whole. Each labelled section is one part of it.
Share 84 counters equally between 4 groups. Split 84 into 80 and 4.
84 ÷ 4
618 ÷ 6 shares 6 hundreds, then 1 ten, then 8 ones. The ten gives none each, so a zero holds that place: 103.
All the small boxes represent equally sized units, even when they belong to different rows.
Share the 80 first. Each group receives 20.
80 ÷ 4 = 20
One unit must have the same value in every row. That lets us compare amounts by counting their units.
Groups2020202080 altogether4 equal units · 4 units = 80 · 1 unit = 20
There are 4 groups, with 1 objects in each group. Count a group before counting them all.
The last 4 give each group one more counter.
4 ÷ 4 = 1
1 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 4 × 1 = 4
All the small boxes represent equally sized units, even when they belong to different rows.
Each group has 20 and 1, which is 21.
84 ÷ 4 = 21
One unit must have the same value in every row. That lets us compare amounts by counting their units.
Groups2121212184 altogether4 equal units · 4 units = 84 · 1 unit = 21
What did the picture help us see?
Each group has 20 and 1, which is 21.
Worked example: A new example, together
Calculate 37980 ÷ 5.
| Total to share | Number of equal shares |
|---|---|
| 37980 | 5 |
The unknown is the amount in one share. Read each value with the heading above its column.
Share one place at a time and record a digit for each, carrying any remainder to the next place.
Division finds how many equal-sized units make the total.
The unknown is the amount in one share. Total to share Number of equal shares 37980 5 The unknown is the amount in one share. Read each value with the heading above its column.
Split 37980 into parts that divide easily by 5: 35000 + 2500 + 450 + 30.
The unknown is the amount in one share. Total to share Number of equal shares 37980 5 Calculate 37980 ÷ 5.
7596
The unknown is the amount in one share. Read each value with the heading above its column.
Split 37980 into parts that divide easily by 5: 35000 + 2500 + 450 + 30.
The unknown is the amount in one share. Total to share Number of equal shares 37980 5 The unknown is the amount in one share. Read each value with the heading above its column.
35000 ÷ 5 = 7000; 2500 ÷ 5 = 500; 450 ÷ 5 = 90; 30 ÷ 5 = 6.
The unknown is the amount in one share. Total to share Number of equal shares 37980 5 The unknown is the amount in one share. Read each value with the heading above its column.
Join the answers: 7000 + 500 + 90 + 6 = 7596.
The unknown is the amount in one share. Total to share Number of equal shares 37980 5 The unknown is the amount in one share. Read each value with the heading above its column.
Check the result against the question we started with.
7596 × 5 = 37980.
We found 7596. Division finds how many equal-sized units make the total.
The unknown is the amount in one share. Total to share Number of equal shares 37980 5
Common mistakes to discuss
- Dropping a zero in the answer. Every place of the dividend produces a digit. 618 ÷ 6 is 103, not 13, because the tens place gives a zero.
Check your understanding
- Divide up to four digits by one digit
- divide a larger number place by place
- check the answer against the original quantities and units
Explain your reasoning to an adult, then try a fresh question in the interactive lesson. A result from one attempt is not proof of lasting mastery.
Try this lesson →Related Primary 4 lessons
- Multiply up to four digits by one digitMultiply up to four digits by one digit · About 10 minutes
- Multiply up to three digits by two digitsMultiply up to three digits by two digits · About 10 minutes