learnbits.app

Long division by two digits

You learn long division by a two-digit number, using a list to help you.

Practise thisWhiteboardMake it a quiz

How to work it out

  1. Write out the multiples: 1, 2, 5 and 10 times the number you divide by.
  2. From the left, take the smallest piece it goes into.
  3. Look in your list how many times it goes, take that away and bring down the next digit.
  4. Keep going until all the digits are used.
1×2×3×5×10×
244872120240

A worked example

336 ÷ 12

  1. Make a list: 12, 24, 60, 120.
  2. Take 33: 12 goes in 2 times, 2 × 12 = 24, and 9 is left over.
  3. Bring down the 6: 96.
  4. 12 goes in 8 times, because 5 × 12 = 60 and 3 × 12 = 36, which makes 96.
  5. The answer is 28.
More examples

468 ÷ 18

  1. Make a list: 18, 36, 90, 180.
  2. Take 46: 18 goes in 2 times, 2 × 18 = 36, and 10 is left over.
  3. Bring down the 8: 108.
  4. 18 goes in 6 times, because 5 × 18 = 90 and 1 × 18 = 18, which makes 108.
  5. The answer is 26.

255 ÷ 15

  1. Make a list: 15, 30, 75, 150.
  2. Take 25: 15 goes in once, and 10 is left over.
  3. Bring down the 5: 105.
  4. 15 goes in 7 times, because 5 × 15 = 75 and 2 × 15 = 30, which makes 105.
  5. The answer is 17.

Watch out

  • You guess how many times the number goes in, and keep having to start again.

    Look in your list for the number just below your part. From there, add the divisor a few more times.

Tips

  • Make the list before you start, so you never have to guess.
  • The list is 1, 2, 5 and 10 times the divisor.

Exceptions

  • If the divisor does not go into a part, like 12 into 9, write a 0 in the answer and bring down the next digit.

Why it works

You do not know the 12 or 24 times table by heart. But you can quickly make a list of 1, 2, 5 and 10 times that number. With the list you can see at each step how many times it goes in, without guessing.