Division

Suppose you have 16 apples and wish to divide them equally among your four friends, the fairest approach is to divide the apples equally among them. This process is known as division, one of the fundamental arithmetic operations that ensures a fair and equal distribution of items among a group.

What is Division?

Division is a fundamental arithmetic operation in mathematics that involves dividing a quantity or a collection of items into equal parts. It is commonly used to distribute or share items among a certain number of groups or individuals.

However, it's essential to note that division by zero is not defined in mathematics. When attempting to divide any number by zero, the result is considered undefined. In such cases, we use the term "infinity" or ∞ to represent the undefined result.

For example, when dividing 8 by 0, the expression is written as 8 ÷ 0 = ∞, signifying that the division is not valid or meaningful.

Division Formula

In the division process, there are four key components:

Dividend: The dividend refers to the number that undergoes division.

Divisor: The divisor is the number by which the dividend is divided.

Quotient: The quotient represents the result obtained from the division process, which is the whole number part of the division.

Remainder: In some cases, the division may not be exact, leaving a leftover number called the remainder.

The relationship between these four parts can be expressed as:

Rules of Division

The division rule comprises four steps to perform the division operation:

Step 1: First, recognise the dividend and divisor and place them in their respective positions.

Step 2: Multiply the divisor by an appropriate number that gives a result close to the dividend.

Step 3: Subtract the values in the dividend column from the result obtained in Step 2.

Step 4: Next, bring down the next digit of the dividend and repeat the preceding two steps until the remainder is less than the divisor. Continue this process until there are no more digits to bring down.

For example:

Dividend = Divisor × Quotient + Remainder
31 = 7 × 4 + 3

Symbol of Division

The division symbol is a mathematical notation used to represent the operation of division between two numbers.
The division operation can be symbolized using various notations, including ÷, slash (/) or a horizontal line (_).