Maths Division

[dontknowwhat2callmyself]

Can anyone give me any tips on how to teach division to DD who is in Year 4. Can you point me to any websites etc... She really doesn't have a clue and I'm not sure how to help. Thanks

The bbc 'bitesize' website is generally reckoned to be very helpful - I'd take a look at that first. IIRC it's fairly easy to find your way around it.

Is it the written methods she struggles with or the actual concept of division? If its the latter, go right back to basics. Empty out a load of sweets. There are five etc children, how many sweets do they each get? Do loads of different scenarios/examples using everyday, real problems. When she understands the concept, look at written calculations with her.

dontknow

this is very basic but may help:

www.themathsfactor.com/free/how2doit/

Khan academy - which is totally free - also has videos explaining how to divide here: www.khanacademy.org/math/arithmetic/multiplication-division - if you scroll down a bit - there are step by step videos explaining long division (now sometimes called bus stop method).

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some useful video games:

woodlands junior school division games: resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/division.htm

division game: once you're pretty good www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks2/maths/school_booster/busstopdivision.html

HTH

don't know:

Just occurred to me that your DC may be talking about 'chunking' - which is basically working best guesses for bigger divisions

so for example you might have 635 divided by 15

You may know that 15 x 2 = 30 and can then project that 15 x 4 = 60 so 15 x 40 = 600.

So you would first guess 40 - 15 x 40 = 600 and 635 - 600 would leave you with 35 left over.

you then can guess 2 - 15 x 2 = 30 and 35 - 30 leaves you with 5 left over

15 can't go into 5 - so you know that you have a remainder of 5

You then have to go back through your calculations and chunk up the answer

so you used 40 times 15 and 2 times 15 - which gives you a total of 42 and you had a remainder of 5.

So the answer to 635 divided by 15 is 42 remainder 5

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This is actually from bbc bitesize GCSE revision - but explains it all here: www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/maths/number/multiplicationdivisionrev2.shtml

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With dd1 I realised that the issue underlying difficult with division was that she didn't quite have her times tables down - she was weak here and there.

So we did more basic multiplication tables practices with a game called Timez Attack. You're cast as an ogre and have to race around solving multiplication (and there is a division version - really inverse facts - so knowing 36 divided by 9 is 4). There's a free version with two platforms (castle or dungeon): www.bigbrainz.com/

This made a huge difference - because once you were comfortable with multiplication facts and could work out multiples of two digit numbers (so 3 x 39 - for example). it made it a lot easier.

HTH

Ask the teacher where she's at.

Number line repeated subtraction, moving in to subtracting larger chunks.
then
Chunking a la number lines but just with (effectively) column subtraction, moving in to always taking off the biggest amount per number of 0s
then
Long division
then
'short' division

Thank you all very much

• it seems to be the concept she struggles with. She doesn't know all her times tables yet so I guess that could be the part of the problem. Thanks for all the links Pastsellby I'm sure they will help I will take a look later and I will check out bbc bitesize too.

I do plan on asking her teacher where she's at but I just wanted some guidance so at least I might have half a chance of understanding what her teacher is talking about.

You're wise - they do seem to use terminology unknown in my day. I've two maths A levels but thought chunking was something you did to a pineapple.

You have already had good help, but I'll just add my standard Numeracy information:

?QUOTE:

Practical things are best for grasping number concepts - bricks, Lego, beads, counters, money, shapes, weights, measuring, cooking.

Do adding, taking away, multiplication (repeated addition), division (sharing), using REAL OBJECTS as just 'numbers' can be too abstract for some children.

Number Bonds of Ten forms the basis of much maths work, so try to learn them. Using Lego or something similar, use a LOT of bricks (of just TWO colours, if you have enough) lay them out so the pattern can be seen of one colour INCREASING while the other colour DECREASES. Lay them down, or build up like steps.

So:

ten of one colour none of other
nine of one colour one of other
eight of one colour two of other
seven of one colour three of other

etc, etc

then of course, the sides are equal at 5 and 5; after which the colours 'swap over' as to increasing/decreasing.

To learn TABLES, do them in groups that have a relationship, thus:

x2, x4, x8

x3, x6, x12

5 and 10 are easy

7 and 9 are rather harder.

Starting with TWO times TABLE, I always say: "Imagine the class is lining up in pairs; each child will have a partner, if there is an EVEN number in the class. If one child is left without a partner, then the number is ODD, because an odd one is left out."

Use Lego bricks again, lay them out in a column of 2 wide to learn 2x table. Go half way down the column, and move half the bricks up, so that now the column is 4 bricks wide. That gives the start of 4x table.

Then do similar things with 3x and 6x.

With 5x, try and count in 'fives', and notice the relationship with 'ten' - they will alternate, ending in 5 then 10.

It is important to try and UNDERSTAND the relationships between numbers, and not just learn them 'by rote'.

I am sorry it seems complicated trying to explain these concepts, but using Lego or counters should make understanding easier.

An inexpensive solar powered calculator (no battery to run out!) can help learn tables by 'repeated addition'. So: enter 2+2 and press = to give 4. KEEP PRESSING = and it should add on 2 each time, giving 2 times table.

There are good web sites, which can be fun to use :

www.ictgames.com/

www.resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/index.html

UNQUOTE

I think the sharing model is hugely unhelpful for division as most people would need counters to work out the answer. Grouping, in my opinion, is much better. So 12 divided by 3 means how many 3s in 12, then, if you don't know your tables, you count up in 3s. Once you are confident you can mix the 2 models up, but when learning it is far harder.

The new national curriculum expects her to know all her times tables by the end of year 4. So I'd really focus on helping her with that. Loads and loads of games to play online, get a Percy Parker CD (the least cringy times tables CD I've found) and make flashcards for each of the facts for the table she's learning - play against the clock. As you turn the cards over, how many can she answer in 1 or 2 minutes. That's all, but every day. You could also plot the results on a graph so she can see herself getting better. School will teach her times tables, but to become fluent and have instant recall of the relevant facts she'll need to practise at home. A lot.

Do you think she understands that multiplication is repeated addition? Can you make arrays for each fact she's learning? (patterns of dots so 6 x 5 = 6 rows of 5 dots). That way she can see that 6 x 5 is the same as 5 x 6.

As she becomes secure in her facts for each times table, show her how she can turn them round to find the matching division facts. Talk about number fact families (6 x 5 =, 5 x 6 =, 30 divided by 5 =, 30 divided by 6 =). Talk about splitting the numbers up into groups. If necessary, use sultantas or pieces of pasta or lego bricks or whatever so she can do it practically.

Doing all of these things will a) help her to develop strong mental images for the facts, which will make them easier to remember and b) show her that once she's learnt one fact she can use it in 3 other ways to make her life easier. Then, if she knows what 6 x 5 is, can she work out what 60 x 5 would be? I talk to my class a lot about using what they know already to work out things they don't yet know, and about patterns in numbers. I think a lot of children haven't twigged that numbers follow patterns and don't do random things!

All of which is a fairly long winded way of saying that if she learns the matching division facts at the same time as the times tables facts then her life will be soooo much easier! And go and see the teacher and ask her/him to show you the division method they are learning in class so you can help your daughter without confusing her.

Yes to getting ALL her times tables by heart. Not just 'seven times four', but 'how many sevens in twenty-eight?'.

Do check that she understands that 'twenty eight divided by seven' MEANS 'how many sevens in twenty-eight'!

She needs to answer straight away (instant recall) rather than having to count up in her head.

Can I suggest chucking all the online materials and sit down with something physical? I

too struggled to get the division concepts across to DD until one day I pulled out a handful of black-eyed peas and asked her to pretend they are lollies and "divide" them equally among all the class friends. That worked.

We made all kinds of groups of 2, 3, 4 and 5. In some cases, we had some remainder peas left over when it wasn't possible to divide them equally.

Maybe I am old school, but online is a slow way to learn and practice. Physical items and pen/paper work far better and are faster.

The only online tool I use if Khan Academy but then only to re-inforce concepts.

EkaS:

May be old school - but absolutely works too!

However, just to say - it does depend on the child. DD2 had no issues with working out division with biscuits/ baked beans/ etc... and understanding at core that division is sharing things out equally between people/ things/ places.

DD1 however is a different kettle of fish - and prefers things on the computer to real life pen & paper workings/ dividing out food (unless it's candy - and our Dentist has had words about her teeth so we're cutting sweets back).