EDEXCEL GCSE FOUNDATION MATHS - What is Division

EDEXCEL GCSE Foundation Maths - What is Division?

Division is one of the four basic arithmetic operations, alongside addition, subtraction, and multiplication. It is the process of splitting a number into equal parts.

Understanding Division:

• Dividend: The number being divided (the total amount).
• Divisor: The number we divide by (the number of groups).
• Quotient: The result of the division (the number in each group).
• Remainder: The amount left over after the division (if the dividend is not perfectly divisible by the divisor).

Example:

If you have 12 apples and want to share them equally among 4 friends, you would use division:

• Dividend: 12 (the total number of apples)
• Divisor: 4 (the number of friends)
• Quotient: 3 (each friend gets 3 apples)
• Remainder: 0 (no apples are left over)

This can be represented as: 12 ÷ 4 = 3

Key Concepts:

• Dividing by 1: Any number divided by 1 is itself.
• Dividing by itself: Any number divided by itself is 1.
• Zero divided by any number: Zero divided by any non-zero number is always zero.
• Dividing by zero: Division by zero is undefined.

Methods of Division:

• Long Division: A method used for dividing larger numbers.
• Short Division: A simpler method used for dividing smaller numbers.

Real-World Applications:

Division is used in many everyday situations, such as:

• Sharing: Dividing objects or amounts equally.
• Measurement: Converting units of measurement.
• Calculating rates: Finding the price per unit or the speed.

Practice Problems:

1. Divide 20 by 5.
2. Divide 36 by 4.
3. How many groups of 3 can you make from 15 objects?
4. If you have 24 cookies and want to share them equally among 6 people, how many cookies will each person get?

Remember:

• Practice regularly to improve your division skills.
• Use different methods to find the best approach for you.
• Understand the concept of division and its real-world applications.