Division

Strategies
Reteach
 Example Problem:

12 3

What if our students are struggling

with multiplication facts?

OR

Still have a tenuous grasp of

multiplication concepts?
 FIRST METHOD

Number
Of
Groups

12 3 = 4

TOTAL Number
Number Of Items
Of Items In each
Group
 Accompanying
Story Problem

Ms. Carter has 12 pieces of candy. She

puts the candy into 3 bags, with the
same number of candy in each bag.
How many pieces of candy are in each
bag?
Step 1:
Create the same number of
columns as the number of
groups

Ms. Carter puts the candy into

3 bags 3 groups 3 columns

12 3 3 groups 3 columns
Step 2:
Put 1 item into each group
until you reach the TOTAL

Ms. Carter has 12 pieces of candy 12

total items 12 circles

12 3 12 total items 12 circles

1 2 3

4 5 6
7 8 9

10 11 12
Step 3:
Count the number of ITEMS in
each group

Ms. Carter has 4 pieces of candy in each

bag.

12 3 = 4 FOUR items in each group

1 2 3

4 5 6
7 8 9

10 11 12
 Notes: First Method

Its a good idea to build a

connection to arrays (connection to
multiplication) since our students
are comfortable with arrays

Make sure students are creating

neat columns and rows so the items
line up like an array
Graph paper may help
 SECOND METHOD

Number
TOTAL Of
Number Groups
Of Items
12 3 = 4

Number
Of Items
In each
Group
 Accompanying
Story Problem

Ms. Williams has 12 pieces of candy.

She puts 3 pieces of candy into each
bag. How many bags can she fill?
Step 1:
Use the number of ITEMS in
each group to draw one group

Ms. Williams puts 3 pieces of

candy into each bag 3 items
3 circles

12 3 THREE items in each

group

1
2 3
Step 2:
Continue to make groups
until you reach the total
Ms. Williams has 12 pieces of
candy 12 total items 12 total
circles

12 3 12 total items 12 total

circles

3 6 9 12

1 1 1 1
2 3 2 3 2 3 2 3
Step 3:
Count the number of
groups

12 3 = 4 FOUR groups

1 1 1
2 3 2 3 2 3

1
2 3
 NOTES: Second Method

Make sure to build connections to

multiplication by emphasizing
repeated addition

Make sure students are

circling/boxing each group of
objects

Make sure students are keeping

track of the total as they draw
groups of objects
 Accompanying
Story Problem
Connections to Multiplication

Mr. Lacroix has 3 bags of candy. There

are 4 pieces of candy in each bag. How
many pieces of candy does he have
altogether?

Ms. Han has 4 bags of candy. There

are 3 pieces of candy in each bag. How
many pieces of candy does she have in
total?
 GENERAL NOTES

Do not over-emphasize mathematical

terms until students sufficiently
demonstrate understanding of the concept
and procedure

Do not over-emphasize equations (formal

mathematical notation) until students
demonstrate understanding of concepts

Once students are comfortable with either

method, progressively increase the size of
the dividend to have students come up
with efficient strategies
Have students work independently