AbacusMinds

Lesson 7: Abacus Division

Divide by a single digit, place by place, and handle remainders with confidence.

Intermediate 25 minutes Lesson 7 of 12

Division is sharing

84 ÷ 4 asks: if we share 84 into 4 equal groups, how many are in each group? On the abacus we answer this one place at a time, from left to right.

Dividing without remainders

Example: 84 ÷ 4.

  1. Tens: 8 ÷ 4 = 2. Write 2 in the tens place of the answer.
  2. Ones: 4 ÷ 4 = 1. Write 1 in the ones place.
  3. Answer: 21.
84 ÷ 4 = 21

Carrying a remainder

Example: 75 ÷ 3.

  1. Tens: 7 ÷ 3 = 2 remainder 1. The answer has 2 tens. The leftover 1 ten becomes 10 ones.
  2. Ones: 10 + 5 = 15, and 15 ÷ 3 = 5.
  3. Answer: 25.
Check with multiplication. 25 × 3 = 75, so the answer is right. Every division can be checked this way.

On the abacus

Set the number you are dividing on the right side of the abacus. Build the answer on rods to the left. Each time you find a digit of the answer, subtract (answer digit × divisor) from the number on the right. When the right side reaches zero, the left side holds your answer.

Try it yourself

Work out 75 ÷ 3 and show the answer on the abacus.

Your abacus shows 0.

Quick check

Type your answers, then check them. Get them all right to complete the lesson automatically.

Practice tips

  • If you know your times tables, you know your division facts: 6 × 7 = 42 means 42 ÷ 7 = 6.
  • Never let a remainder be bigger than or equal to the divisor. If it is, your answer digit is too small.