5.6.8

Dividing Decimals

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Division of Decimals Using the Bus Stop Method

You use the bus stop method to divide numbers with a decimal point.

Bus stop set up

Bus stop set up

  • I want to work out 2.64 ÷ 4.
    • I set up my 'bus stop' as you can see above.
Start by adding a decimal point

Start by adding a decimal point

  • You need to add a decimal point in line with the decimal point under the bus stop.
Start with the 'ones'

Start with the 'ones'

  • Start working from the biggest place value column.
  • This is different from methods of addition, subtraction and multiplication where you start with the smallest place value column.
2.64 ÷ 4

2.64 ÷ 4

  • For 2.64 ÷ 4, start with the 'ones'.
  • Work out how many 4s there are in 2.
    • There are zero 4s in 2.
    • The 0 goes on top of the bus stop in the 'ones' column.
    • The 2 carries onto the 'tenths' column.
Then onto the 'tenths'

Then onto the 'tenths'

  • Work out how many 4s there are in 26.
    • You work out how many 4s there are in 26 (and not 6) because the 2 has carried from the 'ones' column.
    • There are six 4s in 26 with 2 remainder.
    • The 6 goes on top of the bus stop in the 'tenths' column.
    • The remainder 2 carries onto the 'hundredths' column.
Then onto the 'hundredths'

Then onto the 'hundredths'

  • Work out how many 4s there are in 24.
    • You work out how many 4s there are in 24 (and not 4) because the 2 has carried from the 'tenths' column.
    • There are six 4s in 24 with no remainder.
    • The 6 goes on top of the bus stop in the 'hundredths' column.
The answer

The answer

  • 2.64 ÷ 4 = 0.66

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

1.1

Number & Place Value

1.1.1The Value of Digits to Millions1.1.2Smallest & Biggest Numbers to Millions1.1.3Ordering Numbers to Millions1.1.4Counting in Powers of 101.1.5Counting in Negative Numbers1.1.6Rounding Numbers up to 1,000,0001.1.7Reading Roman Numerals
1.2

Addition & Subtraction

1.2.1Written Methods for Adding Large Numbers1.2.2Written Methods for Subtracting Large Numbers1.2.3Mental Addition & Subtraction1.2.4Rounding to Check Your Answer
1.3

Multiplication & Division

1.3.1Multiples1.3.2Factors1.3.3Prime Numbers1.3.4Prime Factors1.3.5Composite Numbers1.3.6Factor Trees1.3.7Multiplication by a 1 Digit Number1.3.8Long Multiplication Using Column Method1.3.9Times Tables1.3.10Division1.3.11Multiplying & Dividing by 10, 100 & 1,0001.3.12Square & Cube Numbers
1.4

Fractions & Decimals

1.4.1Compare & Order Fractions1.4.2Identifying Equivalent Fractions1.4.3Add & Subtract Fractions1.4.4Mixed Numbers & Improper Fractions1.4.5Multiplying Fractions by Whole Numbers1.4.6Converting Between Decimals & Fractions1.4.7Rounding Decimals1.4.8Ordering Decimals
2

Year 5 - Measurement

2.1

Measures

2.1.1Metric Measurements2.1.2Imperial Measurements
2.2

Perimeter & Area

2.2.1Perimeter2.2.2Area
2.3

Time

2.3.1Units of Time
3

Year 5 - Geometry

3.1

Properties of 3D Shapes

3.1.1Types of 3D Shapes3.1.2Faces, Edges & Vertices
3.2

Properties of 2D Shapes

3.2.1Polygons
3.3

Angles

3.3.1Angles in Degrees3.3.2Types of Angle3.3.3Finding Missing Angles
3.4

Position & Direction

3.4.1Reflection & Translation
4

Year 5 - Statistics

4.1

Graphs

4.1.1Line Graphs4.1.2Tables4.1.3Timetables
5

Year 6 - Number

5.1

Number & Place Value

5.1.1The Value of Digits to Ten Millions5.1.2Ordering Numbers to Millions5.1.3Rounding5.1.4Negative Numbers
5.2

Multiplication & Division

5.2.1Multiplication by a 2 Digit Number5.2.2Division5.2.3Multiples5.2.4Factors5.2.5Primes
5.3

Mental Maths

5.3.1Multiplying & Dividing by 10, 100 & 1,0005.3.2Addition & Subtraction5.3.3Adding & Subtracting 10, 100 & 1,0005.3.4Multiplication & Division
5.4

Order of Operations

5.4.1BIDMAS
5.5

Problem Solving

5.5.1Addition & Subtraction Multi-step Problems5.5.2Problem Solving with Proportion
5.6

Fractions & Decimals

5.6.1Simplifying Fractions Using Equivalents5.6.2Ordering Different Types of Fraction5.6.3Adding & Subtracting Fractions5.6.4Adding & Subtracting Mixed Numbers5.6.5Multiplying Fractions5.6.6Dividing Fractions by Whole Numbers5.6.7Converting Between Decimals & Fractions5.6.8Dividing Decimals
6

Year 6 - Ratio & Proportion

6.1

Ratio

6.1.1Using Ratios6.1.2Simplifying Ratios
6.2

Percentages

6.2.1Calculating Percentages
6.3

Scale

6.3.1Scale of 2D Shapes
7

Year 6 - Algebra

7.1

Sequences

7.1.1Describing Sequences7.1.2Finding Gaps in Sequences
7.2

Missing Number Problems

7.2.1Missing Number Problems
7.3

Equations

7.3.1Balancing Equations7.3.2Combining Two Variables
8

Year 6 - Measurement

8.1

Problem Solving

8.1.1Problem Solving with Measures
8.2

Unit Conversion

8.2.1Conversion Between Miles & Kilometres
8.3

Perimeter, Area & Volume

8.3.1Area8.3.2Volume8.3.3Nets8.3.4Faces, Edges & Vertices
8.4

Angles

8.4.1Types of Angle8.4.2Finding Missing Angles8.4.3Finding Missing Angles in Triangles8.4.4Vertically Opposite Angles
8.5

Circles

8.5.1Parts of a Circle
8.6

Coordinate Grids

8.6.1Positions on Coordinate Grids8.6.2Reflection & Translation
9

Year 6 - Statistics

9.1

Displaying Data

9.1.1Pie Charts9.1.2Line Graphs
9.2

Averages

9.2.1Mean

Practice questions on Dividing Decimals

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    What goes in the 'thousands' column in the answer?Multiple choice
  2. 2
    What carries onto the 'hundreds' column?Multiple choice
  3. 3
    What goes in the 'hundreds' column in the answer?Multiple choice
  4. 4
    What carries onto the 'tens' column?Multiple choice
  5. 5
    What goes in the 'tens' column in the answer?Multiple choice
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Converting Between Decimals & Fractions

Using Ratios