How to use it
- Type the dividend and the divisor. The dividend is the number being divided and the divisor is the
number you divide by.
7452and6give 7,452 ÷ 6. - Choose a layout. The bracket is the English form, liggande stolen is the Swedish one and short division writes the remainders as small digits above the next digit.
- Choose the decimal places. With 0 the quotient is a whole number and what is left over is the remainder. With more places, zeros are written on after the dividend and the division carries on past the decimal mark, stopping early if it comes out even.
- The address bar holds the numbers and the choices, so a link brings the same working back.
How the method works
Take the digits of the dividend from the left until the number is at least as large as the divisor. Then, for each digit:
- Write how many times the divisor goes into the number, as the next digit of the quotient.
- Multiply that digit by the divisor, write the product under the number and subtract it.
- Bring down the next digit of the dividend next to the remainder and start again.
When the digits run out, what is left is the remainder. A remainder of 0 means the division comes out even. You can check the answer: quotient · divisor + remainder = dividend.
| Step | Number | Quotient digit | Product | Remainder |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 1 |
| 2 | 14 | 2 | 12 | 2 |
| 3 | 25 | 4 | 24 | 1 |
| 4 | 12 | 2 | 12 | 0 |
So 7,452 ÷ 6 = 1,242.
Limits
- The dividend can have up to 15 digits before the decimal mark and 10 after it.
- The divisor must be a positive whole number of up to 14 digits. Divisors with decimals are not supported yet; multiply both numbers by the same power of ten to remove the decimals first.
- A division that does not come out even is cut off after the number of decimal places you chose. It is not rounded.
Common questions
What is the difference between long division and short division?
Both follow the same steps. In long division the products and remainders are written out under the
dividend. In short division the subtraction is done in your head and only the remainder is carried, as a
small digit above the next digit.
What is the Swedish liggande stolen?
It is the Swedish way of setting out a division: the dividend on the left, the divisor to its right behind
a vertical line, and the quotient under the divisor.