Dividing by 4, step by step
Dividing by 4 is dividing by 2 twice — halve, then halve again.
The question
32 ÷ 4
32÷4
4×?=32
4×8=32
32÷4=8
8×4=32
- 32 ÷ 4 means sharing 32 out equally between 4. Deal them round one at a time until they run out; the answer is how many end up in one share.
- Dealing out 32 one at a time works, and takes all day. The shortcut is the same fact read backwards: 4 shares of WHAT makes 32?
- 4 × 8 = 32. That is the one, so 32 ÷ 4 = 8.
- Worth checking, because it costs one multiplication: 8 × 4 = 32. It matches, so the answer holds.
How it works.
- 01
32 ÷ 4 means sharing 32 out equally between 4. Deal them round one at a time until they run out; the answer is how many end up in one share.
- 02
Dealing out 32 one at a time works, and takes all day. The shortcut is the same fact read backwards: 4 shares of WHAT makes 32?
- 03
4 × 8 = 32. That is the one, so 32 ÷ 4 = 8.
- 04
Worth checking, because it costs one multiplication: 8 × 4 = 32. It matches, so the answer holds.