Sharing Fairly with Division

Division is just a fancy word for fair sharing. When we divide, we take a large group of things and split them into smaller, equal-sized groups. If you have 10 stickers and give them to 2 friends so they each have 5, you are doing division! We use the symbol $\div$ to show this. Think of it as the opposite of multiplication. Instead of putting small groups together to make a big number, we are pulling a big number apart into equal pieces.

To speak like a math expert, you need to know the names of the three parts of a division sentence. The Dividend is the 'Big Boss'—the total number you start with. The Divisor is the number of groups you are making. Finally, the Quotient is the answer, which tells you how many items end up in each group. In the math sentence $15 \div 3 = 5$, 15 is the dividend, 3 is the divisor, and 5 is the quotient.

When a division problem looks hard, use partitioning. This means drawing circles for your groups and placing dots inside them one by one. If you see $12 \div 4$, draw 4 large circles. Put one dot in the first circle, one in the second, one in the third, and one in the fourth. Keep going until you have drawn 12 dots in total. Then, count the dots in just one circle. That number is your quotient!