When we divide a group of things equally among friends, each person gets the same amount. This is called a fair share. Division is the maths we use to split things equally.
What is Division?
Division means sharing or grouping things equally. If 12 mangoes are shared among 4 children, each child gets 3 mangoes. We write this as 12 / 4 = 3.
Key Words
- Dividend – the number being divided (12).
- Divisor – the number of equal groups (4).
- Quotient – the answer, or how many each group gets (3).
- Remainder – what is left over when things cannot be divided exactly.
Division as Repeated Subtraction
We can keep subtracting the divisor from the dividend until nothing is left. For 12 / 4: 12 - 4 = 8, 8 - 4 = 4, 4 - 4 = 0. We subtracted 3 times, so 12 / 4 = 3.
Division as Equal Grouping
We can also make equal groups. Put 15 pencils into groups of 5: we get 3 groups. So 15 / 5 = 3.
Share 8 apples equally among 2 friends.
Step 1: Divide 8 by 2.
Step 2: 8 / 2 = 4.
Answer: Each friend gets 4 apples.
20 biscuits are placed in rows of 4. How many rows are there?
Step 1: We need to find how many groups of 4 are in 20.
Step 2: 20 / 4 = 5.
Answer: There are 5 rows.
Divide 18 marbles equally among 3 children. How many does each child get?
Step 1: 18 / 3 = 6.
Answer: Each child gets 6 marbles.
13 toffees are shared among 4 children.
Step 1: 4 x 3 = 12, remainder = 13 - 12 = 1.
Answer: Each child gets 3 toffees and 1 toffee is left over.
A farmer has 24 seeds and wants to plant 6 in each row. How many rows will he make?
Step 1: 24 / 6 = 4.
Answer: He will make 4 rows.
Key Formulas
Dividend / Divisor = Quotient (Remainder)
Dividend = Divisor x Quotient + Remainder
Common mistakes
Do not confuse the dividend and divisor. Always check: Divisor x Quotient + Remainder = Dividend to verify your answer.
Summary
Fair share means dividing equally. Division splits a number into equal groups. The answer is the quotient, and what is left over is the remainder.