Division Tricks Every Student Should Know
Shortcuts and divisibility rules that make division way less painful.
Division is basically asking "how many times does this number fit into that number?" But when you're staring at 156 รท 12, that simple question feels pretty complicated. These tricks help.
Divisibility Rules (Know If Division Works) ๐
Before you even start dividing, these rules tell you if a number divides evenly:
| Dividing by | The Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Last digit is even (0, 2, 4, 6, 8) | 124 โ (ends in 4) |
| 3 | Sum of digits divisible by 3 | 123 โ 1+2+3=6 โ |
| 4 | Last 2 digits divisible by 4 | 324 โ (24รท4=6) |
| 5 | Ends in 0 or 5 | 735 โ |
| 6 | Divisible by both 2 AND 3 | 126 โ (even + 1+2+6=9) |
| 9 | Sum of digits divisible by 9 | 729 โ 7+2+9=18 โ |
| 10 | Ends in 0 | 150 โ |
The Halving Trick โ
Dividing by a big even number? Halve both numbers until it's easier:
Example: 84 รท 12
Halve both: 42 รท 6
Halve both: 21 รท 3 = 7 โ
Division is Multiplication Backwards ๐
If you know your times tables, you already know division:
- 56 รท 8 = ? โ Think: 8 ร ? = 56 โ Answer: 7
- 42 รท 6 = ? โ Think: 6 ร ? = 42 โ Answer: 7
This is why mastering multiplication makes division much easier.
Dividing by 5 Shortcut ๐๏ธ
To divide by 5, multiply by 2 and move the decimal:
135 รท 5
135 ร 2 = 270
Move decimal (รท10): 27 โ
๐ Practice Division
The Bottom Line
Division gets easier when you have shortcuts in your toolkit. Start with divisibility rules to check your work, use the halving trick for bigger numbers, and remember: if you know multiplication, you already know divisionโjust think backwards.
Written by the PanMaths Team โข Your Math Learning Companion