How To Divide

Division in Standard American English: A Comprehensive Guide

Division is one of the four basic arithmetic operations, along with addition, subtraction, and multiplication. It is the process of finding how many times one number (the dividend) is contained in another number (the divisor). The result of division is called the quotient.

In Standard American English, the division symbol is the forward slash (/). For example, the expression "10 / 5" means "divide 10 by 5."

Steps for Dividing in Standard American English

To divide two numbers in Standard American English, follow these steps:

1. Write the dividend on top of the division symbol and the divisor below it. For example, to divide 10 by 5, you would write the following:

10 / 5

2. Divide the first digit of the dividend by the first digit of the divisor. In this example, the first digit of the dividend is 1 and the first digit of the divisor is 5. 1 divided by 5 is 0. Write the 0 above the division symbol.

0
10 / 5

3. Multiply the divisor by the quotient and subtract the result from the dividend. In this example, multiply 5 by 0 and subtract the result from 10. 5 times 0 is 0. 10 – 0 is 10. Write the 10 below the dividend.

0
10 / 5
10

4. Bring down the next digit of the dividend. In this example, the next digit is 0. Write the 0 next to the 10.

0
10 / 5
100

5. Repeat steps 2-4 until there are no more digits in the dividend. In this example, there are no more digits in the dividend, so the division is complete. The quotient is 2.

2
10 / 5
100

Long Division

Long division is a method for dividing numbers that have more than one digit. The steps for long division are similar to the steps for short division, but there are a few additional steps.

To perform long division, follow these steps:

1. Write the dividend on top of the division symbol and the divisor below it.
2. Divide the first digit of the dividend by the first digit of the divisor. Write the quotient above the division symbol.
3. Multiply the divisor by the quotient and subtract the result from the dividend.
4. Bring down the next digit of the dividend.
5. Repeat steps 3-4 until there are no more digits in the dividend.
6. If there is a remainder, write it next to the quotient.

Examples of Division in Standard American English

Here are some examples of division in Standard American English:

• 10 / 5 = 2
• 25 / 5 = 5
• 100 / 10 = 10
• 1000 / 100 = 10
• 123456789 / 12345 = 10000

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the difference between division and long division?

Division is the process of finding how many times one number is contained in another number. Long division is a method for dividing numbers that have more than one digit.

How do I know when to use long division?

You should use long division when the dividend has more than one digit.

What is a remainder?

A remainder is the number that is left over after division is complete.

How do I write a remainder?

A remainder is written next to the quotient. For example, if the quotient is 2 and the remainder is 3, you would write the following:

2 R 3