Now that you know how to write division problems, it's time to find out the names of the three parts of a division problem. Look at the problem 24 3. Read this problem as twenty-four divided by three. The number 24 is called the "dividend" (the number to be divided), and the number 3 is called the "divisor" (the number by which the dividend is divided). The answer to the problem (in this case, 8) is called the "quotient" (the number resulting from dividing one number by another).

What are the parts of 42 6 = 7? 42 is the dividend 6 is the divisor 7 is the quotient

Try a different format. What are the parts of 10/2 = 5? 10 is the dividend 2 is the divisor 5 is the quotient

Identify the parts of this problem: 6[square root of (132)]. 132 is the dividend 6 is the divisor The quotient is not given.

Remember this problem is read as one hundred thirty-two divided by six. It is not six divided by one hundred thirty-two, even though the 6 is written first.

Here is a coded message. Match the answers to the division problems in the list to the number-letter codes here to spell a word and see how well you understand dividends, divisors, and quotients.

1. What is the divisor in the problem fifteen divided by five equals three?

2. What is the dividend in the problem 24 6 = 4?

3. What is the divisor in the problem 12/3 = 4?

4. What is the quotient in the problem 30 6 = 5?

5. What is the dividend in the problem 4[square root of (12)]?

6. What is the quotient in the problem sixty divided by five equals twelve?

7. What is the divisor in the problem 10/5 = 2?

8. What is the quotient in the problem 56/4 = 14?

9. What is the divisor in the problem 20[square root of (20)] = 1?

Did you spell a word? EXCELLENT!

Division is an essential mathematical skill. You will use division every day of your life, so start practicing and soon you'll become a division master. Then you can proudly display the division master certificate at the back of this book.

Chapter Two

Try this tasting activity to learn what division really means. Division is the process of dividing items into equal groups. The dividend tells you how many things you are dividing into equal groups. The divisor tells you how many groups you are dividing these things into. The quotient tells you how many items are in each group.

Materials

* * *

12 cookies (or crackers, pretzels, raisins, or any other snack)

large serving plate

12 small plates

Procedure

1. Put the twelve cookies on the serving plate. Put two small plates on the table. You are going to divide the twelve cookies between two imaginary guests to solve the division problem 12 2. The number of cookies (12) is the dividend. The number of plates (2) is the divisor. Divide the cookies equally between the two smaller plates. Remember, each guest has to get exactly the same number of cookies. How many cookies are on each plate? If you split the cookies equally, there should be six cookies on each plate. Twelve divided by two is six.

2. Place the twelve cookies back on the serving plate. (Don't eat any!) Now place three small plates on the table. You are going to solve the problem 12 3. In this problem, 12 is the dividend and 3 is the divisor. Split the cookies equally among the three plates. There should be four cookies on each plate. Twelve divided by three is four.

3. Put the cookies back on the serving plate again and put four small plates on the table. Divide the cookies up. How many cookies does each guest get if each gets the same number? Each guest gets three cookies. Twelve divided by four is three.

4. Return the cookies to the serving plate. Set the table for six guests. Now divide the cookies among these six guests. Each guest gets only two cookies. Oh, well. Twelve divided by six is two.

5. Finally, set the table for twelve guests. Divide the cookies fairly among the twelve guests. Each guest gets only one cookie. Twelve divided by twelve is one.

6. Write down the five different division problems you just solved:

12 2 = 6

12 3 = 4

12 4 = 3

12 6 = 2

12 12 = 1

If you had enough cookies and enough plates, you could solve any division problem no matter how large the numbers.

7. Now you and your friends can eat all the cookies.

Chapter Three

Another way to think of division is a method called "repeated subtraction." It is called repeated subtraction because you repeatedly subtract the divisor from the dividend until you get to 0 and have nothing left. The number of times you subtract the divisor from the dividend to get to 0 is the quotient. Try this activity to practice division as repeated subtraction.

Materials

* * *

30 paper clips

pencil

paper

Procedure

1. The problem is 30 10. Here's how you find the quotient with repeated subtraction. Start with thirty paper clips. Thirty is...