Expert: Sherry Wallin - 9/1/2009

Question
Hi Sherry :) I hope this is no bother to you but I'm getting ready to go into college and today I realized that I don't know how to do long division!! I know basic long division and a few tricks but I get confused when it comes to really long division such as 1934765/6 and I'm not sure if any of the tricks like dropping the first number then adding up the rest would work? Either way I would like to learn how to solve these types of problems the quick way... if there is one, and the long way even if I have to draw it all out on paper. If you could solve this problem for me so I can see how you did it step for step that would be great. If you could also help me to learn how to do so myself by giving me guidelines to follow I would be grateful... Thank You sooo much and have a wonderful day! :)

Answer
Hi Jon~
    This will be difficult to show you in a type set environment but I will try:
In your problem you need to identify the roles each number plays. The 6 in your problem is the 'divisor' and the 1934765 is the 'dividend'. You always find out how many 'divisors' are in your dividend. You begin by seeing if the divisor can go into the leftmost digit which is a 1 int his case and it cannot so you try to see if the divisor can go into the 2 left most digits which are 19 in your case and yes there are three 6's in 19 with a 1 left over. Write down the 3 for the first digit in your answer. Since you've used the firstg 2 left most digits you need to now use the 3rd leftmost digit and repeat the process. In your case it is a 3 so you have a remainder of 1 and now you bring down the 3 so you really are trying to see how many 6's are in 13 and there are 2 with a 1 left over. So now put the 2 to the right of the 3 in our answer and take the 4th left most digit which is a 4 and bring it down and place it next to your 1 so you want to know now how many 6's are in 14 and again there are 2 so you put the 2 next to the 32 you already have and now your partial answer is 322 and you subtract the two sixes (12) from the 14 and now your remainder is 2. Bring down the 5th leftmost digit and you are looking for how many 6's are in 27 and there are 4 with a 3 left over.  Put the 4 with your 322 as 3224 and proceed to bring down the 6th left most digit (6) so you want to know how many 6's are in 36 and there are exactly 6. Put the 6 on your 3224 as 32246. Since goes into 36 evenly your new remainder is 0 but you still need to complete the problem by bringing down the the 7th left most digit which is a 5 and see how many 6's are in 5 and there are none so you put the 0 on 32246 as 322460. You answer will be 322460 remainder 5. I will write this out and attach it as an image for you.

Math Prof