Long Multiplication and Division

Stage 5 of 23 Strand 3 of 9 5 lessons

5 illustrated lessons, each teaching the why before the how.

Revise Long Multiplication and Division with flashcards →

Jump to a lesson

Multiplying in Columns

Multiply each digit, and carry the spill.

Multiply each digit in turn and carry whatever spills past nine

Start at the units: 7 × 3 = 21. Write the 1, and carry the 2 tens.

Tens: 4 × 3 = 12, and the carried 2 makes 14. Write 4, carry 1 hundred.

Hundreds: 2 × 3 = 6, and the carried 1 makes 7. So 247 × 3 = 741.

Now you

156 × 4

1739 × 7

Two Digits by Two Digits

Two rows, one shifting zero, then add.

Split the bottom number into tens and units, multiply by each, then add the two rows

To multiply two digits: start with the ones place: 24 × 6 = 144.

The 3 in 36 is not 3 units — it is 3 tens, and 24 × 3 = 72.

So the tens row is ten times 72: write a 0, then the 72 — 24 × 30 = 720.

Add the two rows: 144 + 720 = 864.

Now you

276 × 20

31 × 16

Long Division

Divide, multiply, subtract, bring down, repeat.

Divide, multiply, subtract, bring the next digit down, and go round again

4 steps: Divide, Multiply, Subtract, Bring down. 5 is less than 12, so use 52.

12 × 4 = 48, which fits inside 52. Divide: write 4 above. Multiply: write 48 below.

Step 3: Subtract: 52 − 48 = 4. Step 4: Bring down the 8 to make 48.

Repeat until it is solved!

Now you

377 ÷ 13

585 ÷ 15

Remainders

The bit too small to share out again.

When the sharing will not come out even, whatever is left over is the remainder

Thirty-seven sweets, five to a bag. Fill the bags until you run out of sweets.

Now as division: 7 bags of 5 make 7 × 5 = 35, and 37 − 35 = 2 are left.

Those 2 are the remainder: fewer than 5, so they cannot fill another bag.

Now you

41 ÷ 4: what is the remainder?

40 ÷ 6: what is the remainder?

Interpreting the Remainder

Round it up, round it down, or keep it — the question decides.

The question decides whether the remainder rounds up, rounds down, or is the answer

26 children, 4 to a car: 26 / 4 = 6 r 2. The 2 still travel — so 7 cars.

Same division, $26 and $4 tickets: 6 tickets — the $2 cannot buy another.

26 eggs, boxes of 4: how many left unboxed? Now the remainder 2 IS the answer.

Now you

22 children, cars seat 4. Cars needed?

$19, and each ticket costs $3. Tickets?

Continue your journey in the app — save your progress