Division is one of the four basic arithmetic operations in mathematics. When we divide, we are asking how many times one number fits into another number. For example, if we have 12 objects and want to divide them into 3 equal groups, division tells us that each group will have 4 objects.
One way to understand division is as sharing objects equally. When we have 15 apples and want to share them equally among 5 children, we use division. Fifteen divided by 5 equals 3, which means each child gets exactly 3 apples. This shows division as fair distribution.
Another way to think about division is as repeated subtraction. When we divide 20 by 4, we are asking how many times we can subtract 4 from 20. Starting with 20, we subtract 4 to get 16, then subtract 4 again to get 12, and so on. We can do this 5 times before reaching zero, so 20 divided by 4 equals 5.
In division, we use specific terminology for each part of the operation. The dividend is the number being divided, the divisor is the number we divide by, and the quotient is the result. For example, in 24 divided by 6 equals 4, twenty-four is the dividend, six is the divisor, and four is the quotient.