Dividing by 6, step by step
Six is two threes, so every division by 6 can be done in two easy steps instead of one hard one.
The question
48 ÷ 6
48÷6
6×?=48
6×8=48
48÷6=8
8×6=48
- 48 ÷ 6 means sharing 48 out equally between 6. Deal them round one at a time until they run out; the answer is how many end up in one share.
- Dealing out 48 one at a time works, and takes all day. The shortcut is the same fact read backwards: 6 shares of WHAT makes 48?
- 6 × 8 = 48. That is the one, so 48 ÷ 6 = 8.
- Worth checking, because it costs one multiplication: 8 × 6 = 48. It matches, so the answer holds.
How it works.
- 01
48 ÷ 6 means sharing 48 out equally between 6. Deal them round one at a time until they run out; the answer is how many end up in one share.
- 02
Dealing out 48 one at a time works, and takes all day. The shortcut is the same fact read backwards: 6 shares of WHAT makes 48?
- 03
6 × 8 = 48. That is the one, so 48 ÷ 6 = 8.
- 04
Worth checking, because it costs one multiplication: 8 × 6 = 48. It matches, so the answer holds.