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Division Using the Bus Stop Method

You can use the bus stop method to work out a division.

Bus stop set up

Bus stop set up

  • I want to work out 2,544 ÷ 12.
    • I set up my 'bus stop' as you can see above.
Start with the 'thousands'

Start with the 'thousands'

  • Start working from the biggest place value column.
  • This is different from methods of addition, subtraction and multiplication where you start with the 'ones'.
2,544 ÷ 12

2,544 ÷ 12

  • For 2,544 ÷ 12, start with the 'thousands'.
  • Work out how many 12s there are in 2.
    • There are zero 12s in 2.
    • The zero goes on top of the bus stop in the 'thousands' column.
    • You need to carry the 2 onto the 'hundreds' column.
Then onto the 'hundreds'

Then onto the 'hundreds'

  • Work out how many 12s there are in 25.
    • You work out how many 12s there are in 25 (and not 5) because the 2 has carried from the 'thousands' column.
    • There are two 12s in 25 with 1 remainder.
    • The 2 goes on top of the bus stop in the 'hundreds' column.
    • The remainder 1 carries onto the 'tens' column.
Then onto the 'tens'

Then onto the 'tens'

  • Work out how many 12s there are in 14.
    • You work out how many 12s there are in 14 (and not 4) because the 1 has carried from the 'hundreds' column.
    • There is one 12 in 14 with a remainder of two.
    • The 1 goes on top of the bus stop in the 'tens' column.
    • The remainder 2 carries onto the 'ones' column.
Finally, onto the 'ones'

Finally, onto the 'ones'

  • Work out how many 12s there are in 24.
    • You work out how many 12s there are in 24 (and not 4) because the 2 has carried from the 'tens' column.
    • There are two 12s in 24 with no remainder.
    • The 2 goes on top of the bus stop in the 'ones' column.
Getting your answer

Getting your answer

  • The answer to 2,544 ÷ 12 is on top of the bus stop.

Division Using the Bus Stop Method with a Remainder

Bus stop set up

Bus stop set up

  • I want to work out 3,523 ÷ 3.
    • I set up my 'bus stop' as you can see above.
Start with the 'thousands'

Start with the 'thousands'

  • Start working from the biggest place value column.
  • This is different from methods of addition, subtraction and multiplication where you start with the 'ones'.
3,523 ÷ 3

3,523 ÷ 3

  • For 3,523 ÷ 3, start with the 'thousands'.
  • Work out how many 3s there are in 3.
    • There is one 3 in 3 with no remainder.
    • The 1 goes on top of the bus stop in the 'thousands' column.
Then onto the 'hundreds'

Then onto the 'hundreds'

  • Work out how many 3s there are in 5.
    • There is one 3 in 5 with 2 remainder.
    • The 1 goes on top of the bus stop in the 'hundreds' column.
    • The remainder 2 carries onto the 'tens' column.
Then onto the 'tens'

Then onto the 'tens'

  • Work out how many 3s there are in 22.
    • You work out how many 3s there are in 22 (and not 2) because the 2 has carried from the 'hundreds' column.
    • There are seven 3s in 22 with 1 remainder.
    • The 7 goes on top of the bus stop in the 'tens' column.
    • The remainder 1 carries onto the 'ones' column.
Finally, onto the 'ones'

Finally, onto the 'ones'

  • Work out how many 3s there are in 13.
    • You work out how many 3s there are in 13 (and not 3) because the 1 has carried from the 'tens' column.
    • There are four 3s in 13 with 1 remainder.
    • The 4 goes on top of the bus stop in the 'ones' column.
    • There is 1 remainder at the end of the division.
The remainder

The remainder

  • You could show your remainder as a fraction.
    • The numerator (top number) of the fraction is the remainder.
    • The denominator (bottom number) of the fractions is what you are dividing by.
Getting your answer

Getting your answer

  • The answer to 3,523 ÷ 3 is on top of the bus stop.
Jump to other topics
1

Year 5 - Number

2

Year 5 - Measurement

3

Year 5 - Geometry

4

Year 5 - Statistics

5

Year 6 - Number

6

Year 6 - Ratio & Proportion

7

Year 6 - Algebra

8

Year 6 - Measurement

9

Year 6 - Statistics

9.1

Displaying Data

9.2

Averages

Practice questions on Division

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