In Mathematic the four basic arithmetic operations are addition, subtraction multiplication, and division. Based on the problem requirement, the type of arithmetic operation has chosen. For example, to share 100 chocolates equally among 25 children, we need to divide 100 by 25. Thus, each child will get 4 chocolates. In this article, we are going to discuss one of the arithmetic operations called “Division or Divide” with its symbol, division math formula, division of fractions, decimals, polynomials and so on with many solved examples.

Table of Contents:

• Symbol
• Division Math Formula
• Division Problems
• Divide – Fractions
• Divide – Decimals
• Divide – Polynomials
• Practice Problems
• FAQs

Divide Meaning

The meaning of divide is to separate into two or more equal parts, areas, classes, categories, groups or divisions. In simple words, the meaning of divide is to distribute the whole thing to a group in equal parts or making equal parts. Suppose, a diagonal of a square divides it into two triangles of equal area. The result of a division operation may or may not be an integer. Sometimes, the result will be in the form of decimal numbers.

For more Information on Division Process, Watch The Below Video

Divide Symbol

The symbol used to represent divide or division is ÷, slash (/) or a horizontal line ( _ ). These symbols are used as per convenience while dealing with various types of problems and calculations. Also, x/y or [latex]\frac{x}{y}[/latex] can be read as “x by y” or “x over y”. For example, the division of 60 by 5 can be expressed as:

60 ÷ 5 = 12

60/5 = 12

Or

[latex]\frac{60}{5}[/latex] = 12

Thus, the result is the same in all three representations.

Read more: Decimals Convert Decimal to Fraction Multiplication and Division of Integers Multiplication Tricks

Division Math Formula

The four important terms used in the division operation are dividend, divisor, quotient and remainder. The formula to calculate the division of two numbers is:

Dividend ÷ Divisor = Quotient + Remainder.

Here, 

The dividend is the number, which is being divided

The divisor is the number, which divides the number (dividend) into equal parts

The quotient is the result of the division operation

The remainder is the leftover number in the division operation.

For example, 46/5

Here, 46 is the dividend

5 is the divisor

If 46 is divided by 5, we get the quotient as 9 and the remainder 1.

Click here to know how to divide the numbers in detail.

Points to Remember:

• If a number is divided by 1, the answer should be the same as the dividend. For example, 56/1 is 56.
• If the dividend and divisor are the same, then the quotient is 1. For example, 10/10 is 1.
• If a dividend is divided by 0, then the answer is undefined. For example, 15/0 is undefined.

Division Problems

We know that division is one of the primary arithmetic operations in maths. This is used in solving and simplifying various types of sums and expressions. Below are a few sums with solutions that involve division operation.

Divide 375 by 5:

375/5 = 75

Divide 226 by 4:

226/4 = 56.2

Divide 784 by 14:

784/14 = 56

Also, go through the division sums which include various types of numbers and expressions.

Divide Fractions

We can also perform division operations on fractions. While dividing fractions, the division operator needs to be converted into multiplication. This can be understood in a better way using the example given below:

Divide 2/3 by 4/5:

Numerator = ⅔

Denominator = ⅘

Thus, (⅔)/ (⅘)

This can be written as:

(2/3) × (5/4)

= (1/3) × (5/2)

= 5/6

Therefore, (⅔)/ (⅘) = 5/6

Learn more about fractions and division of fractions in maths here.

Divide Decimals

In maths, the division of decimal numbers can be observed in many concepts such as algebra, geometry and other numerical concepts. The division of decimals is quite similar to that of fractions. Let’s have a look at the below example to understand the division of decimals.

Divide the decimal 0.256 by 0.08:

0.256/0.08

First, we have to express the given decimals in terms of fractions as:

0.256 = 256/1000

0.08 = 8/100

Thus, 0.256/0.08 = (256/1000)/ (8/100)

Now, convert the division into multiplication as explained while solving for fractions.

= (256/1000) × (100/8)

= (256/80)

= 3.2

Therefore, 0.256/0.08 = 3.2

Divide Polynomials

Unlike numbers and fractions, polynomials can also be divided by another polynomial. However, polynomial division can be performed in two methods. One is the polynomial long division, which is quite similar to the division of numbers but polynomial expressions will appear instead of numbers. Another method of dividing polynomials is synthetic division.

Click here to get more information about the synthetic division of polynomials along with examples.

Practice Problems

Below are a few practice problems on dividing various types of numbers.

1. Simplify: 1286 ÷ 14
2. Calculate: 1.256 ÷ 0.34
3. Divide 98/15 by 65/46.
4. How many pens does each student get when 200 pens are distributed among 40 students equally?

To learn more about division and other mathematical operations, download BYJU’S – The Learning App today!