How Can I Master Division Techniques for Complex Problems?

[MatttL]

Can someone please help me with this...

Hi, Well I just want to start off and say that I never really payed attention in math in school. And now I regret it more then anything. I am trying to build up my math skills, but I do not know anyone who can help me, so I am basically reteaching myself math and then some. Right now I am trying to work on division but it just does not make sense to me. I have the book pre-algebra demystified. It has a section of division of whole numbers.
The first problem goes like this...37 divided by 543. It does through the steps...
1. divide 3 into 5 to get 1
2.multiply 1X37
3. subtract 37 from 54
4.bring down 3.
5. repeat steps one two and three.

Simple enough for me, but then they give you practice problems. The first is 2666 divided by 62. And this is where I am lost. I use the same system that the first demo problem guided me through, but none of that works for this problem! I use the same exact steps and it just does not make sense. And the book does not show you how to do a 4 number dividend problem. I am trying to find out if someone could maybe help me, or give me the direction to go, or tutor me, Anything! I have subtraction addition and multiplication down alright.
I do have troubles with my times table when doing division, Where I am there is no such thing as free tutoring. Acquiring help with math is close to impossible. If anybody can help me out with getting division down that would be great. I want to work my way up to calculus, trig. etc. and eventually get a science degree. But as of now it looks as if my chances are slim.

 

[tiny-tim]

Welcome to PF!

Hi MatttL! Welcome to PF!

… The first is 2666 divided by 62. And this is where I am lost. I use the same system that the first demo problem guided me through, but none of that works for this problem! I use the same exact steps and it just does not make sense. And the book does not show you how to do a 4 number dividend problem. I am trying to find out if someone could maybe help me, or give me the direction to go, or tutor me, Anything! I have subtraction addition and multiplication down alright.

you can't divide 6 into 2 (well, you can, but it's zero! ), so you need to take an extra figure …

1. divide 6 into 26 to get 4
2.multiply 4X62 = 248
3. subtract 248 from 266
4.bring down 6.
5. repeat steps one two and three.

(see also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_division" )

any more problems, just keep coming back

 

[HallsofIvy]

Hi, Well I just want to start off and say that I never really payed attention in math in school. And now I regret it more then anything. I am trying to build up my math skills, but I do not know anyone who can help me, so I am basically reteaching myself math and then some. Right now I am trying to work on division but it just does not make sense to me. I have the book pre-algebra demystified. It has a section of division of whole numbers.
The first problem goes like this...37 divided by 543.

Do you mean 543 divided by 37? That's what you are doing below.

It does through the steps...
1. divide 3 into 5 to get 1
2.multiply 1X37
3. subtract 37 from 54
4.bring down 3.
5. repeat steps one two and three.

Simple enough for me, but then they give you practice problems. The first is 2666 divided by 62. And this is where I am lost. I use the same system that the first demo problem guided me through, but none of that works for this problem! I use the same exact steps and it just does not make sense. And the book does not show you how to do a 4 number dividend problem. I am trying to find out if someone could maybe help me, or give me the direction to go, or tutor me, Anything! I have subtraction addition and multiplication down alright.
I do have troubles with my times table when doing division, Where I am there is no such thing as free tutoring. Acquiring help with math is close to impossible. If anybody can help me out with getting division down that would be great. I want to work my way up to calculus, trig. etc. and eventually get a science degree. But as of now it looks as if my chances are slim.

 

[MatttL]

Hi, and thank you for the replys! to HOI, yes sir. Sorry about that I did mean 543 divided by 37. It was the guide problem, one that was already done but showed the step taken to get the answer. Thank you tiny-tim. The book doesn't explain using extra figures. I think I might see if I can track down a better book that explains the process better. I love math, but trying to learn it is allot more difficult then learning anything else that I have gone through. I take that back, tying my shoes when I was young was almost as challenging. lol.

 

[MatttL]

Alright, same book but I am confused. 31,568 divided by 4.
Steps taken.
how many time does 4 go into 2? none so take another figure.
how many times does 4 go into 31? 7, so the 7 goes above the 5(I assume so? after the digits used)
Multiply 7 by 4 which gives you 28, the 28 goes under the 31.
Subtract the 31 from 28 which gives you 3
3 goes under the 8 of the 28.
Bring down the 5 to make 35.
divide 4 into 35 and you get 8, the 8 goes after the 7, so you have a awnser of 78.
8x4=32, so the 32 goes under the 35.
Now subtract 32 from 35 and you get 3.
Sorry if this is confusing to read, But I am lost at this point, do I repeat the steps a third time? the anwser is 7,892. so I know the 78 is right. I just want to make sure. Would I then divide 36 by 4? Thank you for the help.

 

[tiny-tim]

Hi MatttL!

… do I repeat the steps a third time? the anwser is 7,892. so I know the 78 is right. I just want to make sure. Would I then divide 36 by 4?

Yes, that's right.

I've done it myself, and got exactly the same as you …

just keep going! ​

 

[MatttL]

Thanks for the help again tiny-tim! I kept going and worked out a few kinks I had and I got the anwser.I've also re-worked the problem a few time and now it makes sense. I moved on to the next problem, and used the same exact method but am having problems. Mainly as to what I divide first. The problem is...181,044 divided by 564. Now when doing a problem like this with the divisor being more then two, where do I start? Do I divide the 5 into 18(cant divide into 1 so add another figure)?
or do I use 56? or the entire diviser 564?. There seems to be a method for divising 1, 2 or up divisors. I guess to better word my question, I've already seen how to divide a diviser of two digits, but how would divide a divisor of three or four digits?

 

[tiny-tim]

Hi MatttL!

(just got up :zzz: …)

...181,044 divided by 564. Now when doing a problem like this with the divisor being more then two, where do I start? Do I divide the 5 into 18(cant divide into 1 so add another figure)?
or do I use 56? or the entire diviser 564?.

You use the entire 564.

(Something in the earlier example seemed to suggest you just use the 5 to get you started, but I think that was just a short-cut to help you divide by 564, it doesn't always work, as I think you've noticed … so ignore that suggestion, and always use the entire divisor. )

 

[TylerH]

To help you look up extra info, if needed, the method you are using is called "long division."

With long division, it is sometimes helpful to line up the numbers in a certain way. Like this:

   _____329_R172
564)181,044
    1         564 cannot divide into 1, so we bring down the next digit, which happens to be a 8
    18        564 cannot divide into 118, so we bring down the next digit, which happens to be a 1
    1810      564 can divide into this, but how much?
   -1692      3 times, so subtract 3 x 564
     118      564 cannot divide into 118, so we bring down the next digit, which happens to be a 0
     1180     564 can divide into this, but how much?
    -1128     2 times, so subtract 2 x 564
       52     564 cannot divide into 52, so we bring down the next digit, which happens to be a 4
       524    564 cannot divide into 524, so we bring down the next digit, which happens to be a 4
       5244   564 can divide into this, but how much?
      -5072   9 times, so subtract 9 x 564
        172   564 cannot divide into 172, and we have no more digits to bring down, so we have a [i]remainder[/i] of 172

The answer 329.