Division with remainders
Solve multi-step word problems using the four operations with whole numbers, including interpreting remainders in context; represent with equations using a letter for the unknown; check with estimation
What a learner can do afterwards
- 52 children go on a trip in minibuses holding 9 each — how many minibuses are needed? (interpret remainder)
- A shop sells packs of 6 pencils for £1.50 each — how much do 5 packs cost?
- Represent a two-step problem with an equation using n for the unknown
The lesson
Sometimes when you share things equally, there is a little bit left over. That leftover amount is called the remainder. Real problems often have more than one step, so read carefully and decide what to do with the remainder at the end.
52 children go on a trip in minibuses that hold 9 each. 52 divided by 9 is 5 remainder 7. Five minibuses fill up, but 7 children still need a seat, so a sixth minibus is needed. The answer isn't 5 or 5.7. It's 6, because you can't leave children behind.
You can write a two-step problem as an equation with a letter standing for the unknown number. A shop sells packs of 6 pencils for £1.50 each. To find the cost of 5 packs, write c = 5 x 1.50, then work it out: c = £7.50.
Before you calculate, estimate. Round the numbers and do the sum in your head. If your real answer is way off from your estimate, check your work. And always ask: does this remainder mean round up, round down, or is it the actual answer?
Solve the steps in order, decide what the remainder means for the real situation, and check your answer against an estimate.
Watch it
Where it sits
8 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.