Welcome to long division! This is a way to divide bigger numbers into equal groups. Imagine you have 84 cookies and want to share them equally among 4 friends. Long division helps us figure out how many cookies each friend will get. Let's learn the steps together!
Let's learn the 4 steps of long division using our example 84 divided by 4. Step 1 is Divide: Ask 'How many times does 4 go into 8?' The answer is 2, so we write 2 on top. Step 2 is Multiply: Multiply the number we wrote by the divisor. 2 times 4 equals 8, so we write 8 below the 8 in 84. Step 3 is Subtract: Subtract 8 from 8, which gives us 0. Step 4 is Bring Down: Bring down the next digit, which is 4. Now we have 04, or just 4.
Now let's continue with our example. We left off with the number 4 after bringing down the 4 in 84. We repeat the same steps: First, divide 4 by 4, which gives us 1. We write 1 next to the 2 on top. Next, multiply 1 by 4, which equals 4. Write this below the 4 we brought down. Then subtract 4 from 4, giving us 0. Since there are no more digits to bring down, we're done! The answer is 21. This means if we share 84 cookies among 4 friends, each friend gets exactly 21 cookies.
Sometimes division doesn't work out evenly. Let's try dividing 87 by 4. We follow the same steps: First, divide 8 by 4, which gives us 2. Multiply 2 by 4 to get 8, then subtract 8 from 8 to get 0. Bring down the 7, giving us 7. Now divide 7 by 4, which gives us 1 with 3 left over. Multiply 1 by 4 to get 4, then subtract 4 from 7 to get 3. Since there are no more digits to bring down and we can't divide 3 by 4, the 3 is our remainder. So the answer is 21 remainder 3, or 21 R 3. This means if we share 87 cookies among 4 friends, each friend gets 21 cookies, with 3 cookies left over.
Let's review what we've learned about long division. Long division is a method that helps us divide bigger numbers into equal groups. Remember the four key steps: Divide, Multiply, Subtract, and Bring Down. It's best to start practicing with simple problems like 84 divided by 4 before moving to more complex ones. Sometimes division doesn't work out evenly, and we'll have a remainder, like when we divided 87 by 4 to get 21 with 3 left over. Using real-world examples, like sharing cookies among friends, can help make division more understandable. With practice, you'll get better and faster at long division!