Division meaning and facts (grade 3)
Division splits a total into equal groups. It tells you how many each one gets, or how many groups you can make.
Share equally
💡 Divide to share a total fairly, so every group gets the same amount.
When you share a total so each group gets the same, you divide. The answer tells how many each group gets.
Watch the story words. Sharing into equal piles is dividing. Adding more is adding. Giving some away is taking away.
Some stories have two steps. First find the total. Then share it.
Share 15 grapes with 3 kids. How many does each kid get?
- 1This is 15 ÷ 3.
- 23 × 5 = 15.
- 3Each kid gets 5.
✏️ What your answer looks like: Type just the number: 5.
- divide
- split a total into equal groups
- quotient
- the answer when you divide
How many groups?
💡 Divide to find how many groups of a size you can make from a total.
Sometimes you know the size of each group. You need to find how many groups.
Count by the group size until you reach the total. The number of counts is the answer.
You have 14 socks. Each pair has 2. How many pairs?
- 1Count by 2s: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14.
- 2That is 7 counts, so 7 pairs.
- group size
- how many are in each group
Think multiplication
💡 Every division fact has a times fact that goes with it.
Division and multiplication undo each other. To find 32 ÷ 4, ask: 4 times what is 32?
Pick a times fact that uses both numbers in the problem. That fact holds the answer.
Find 32 ÷ 4.
- 1Ask 4 × ? = 32.
- 24 × 8 = 32.
- 3So 32 ÷ 4 = 8.
- fact family
- times and divide facts that use the same three numbers
Missing numbers
💡 Use a times fact to find any missing number in a division fact.
A missing number can be in any spot. In 27 ÷ ? = 3, you ask: 3 times what is 27?
If the first number is missing, like ? ÷ 5 = 7, multiply the other two. 5 × 7 = 35.
Solve 27 ÷ ? = 3.
- 13 × 9 = 27.
- 2So 27 ÷ 9 = 3.
✏️ What your answer looks like: Type just the missing number: 9.
- total
- the whole amount before you split it