Dividing by 3, step by step
The threes have no halving trick to lean on, which makes them the table where reading a division fact backwards really earns its keep.
The question
24 ÷ 3
24÷3
3×?=24
3×8=24
24÷3=8
8×3=24
- 24 ÷ 3 means sharing 24 out equally between 3. Deal them round one at a time until they run out; the answer is how many end up in one share.
- Dealing out 24 one at a time works, and takes all day. The shortcut is the same fact read backwards: 3 shares of WHAT makes 24?
- 3 × 8 = 24. That is the one, so 24 ÷ 3 = 8.
- Worth checking, because it costs one multiplication: 8 × 3 = 24. It matches, so the answer holds.
How it works.
- 01
24 ÷ 3 means sharing 24 out equally between 3. Deal them round one at a time until they run out; the answer is how many end up in one share.
- 02
Dealing out 24 one at a time works, and takes all day. The shortcut is the same fact read backwards: 3 shares of WHAT makes 24?
- 03
3 × 8 = 24. That is the one, so 24 ÷ 3 = 8.
- 04
Worth checking, because it costs one multiplication: 8 × 3 = 24. It matches, so the answer holds.