Dividing by 8, step by step
Eight is two doubled twice, so dividing by 8 is halving three times.
The question
64 ÷ 8
64÷8
8×?=64
8×8=64
64÷8=8
8×8=64
- 64 ÷ 8 means sharing 64 out equally between 8. Deal them round one at a time until they run out; the answer is how many end up in one share.
- Dealing out 64 one at a time works, and takes all day. The shortcut is the same fact read backwards: 8 shares of WHAT makes 64?
- 8 × 8 = 64. That is the one, so 64 ÷ 8 = 8.
- Worth checking, because it costs one multiplication: 8 × 8 = 64. It matches, so the answer holds.
How it works.
- 01
64 ÷ 8 means sharing 64 out equally between 8. Deal them round one at a time until they run out; the answer is how many end up in one share.
- 02
Dealing out 64 one at a time works, and takes all day. The shortcut is the same fact read backwards: 8 shares of WHAT makes 64?
- 03
8 × 8 = 64. That is the one, so 64 ÷ 8 = 8.
- 04
Worth checking, because it costs one multiplication: 8 × 8 = 64. It matches, so the answer holds.