[afunteacher]

We've been working on division for the last couple weeks. Today we started working on single digit divisor dividing three digit dividends. Anyone have any great ideas on how to help the students with the dividing part such as 11/4 when their is a remainder? I've tried a couple different ways such as how many groups of four can we get out of 11, or helping them think of the multiples of four. Will they get it with more practice?

[act56]

Are you a THIRD grade teacher? I honestly can't help you because this isn't something we do in third grade here. The most we get done is 2 digit by one digit (ex.- 11/4 or 37/5) and that would be in the spring after we finish multiplication. We work with manipulatives then.
I will be curious to see what responses you get. I might learn something new I can do.

[afunteacher]

Yes, that is what my third grade students are learning (and one fourth graders that's behind). I teach in a private (Christian) school.

[robinsondlh]

We start on this when the kids know their multiplication pretty good. I have them count...4, 8, 12...ooooppps...guess it only goes in 2 times. Then we say how much do we have left over? 3 . My kids LOVE yelling OOOOPPPPSSSS!!!! I watch them do this during tests, it's really funny

[TeachingThird]

Here is what I do...

For the problem 11/4-
Ask..How many times will 4 go into 11? Lets say they say once... Show that on the board like this

4 / 11 (that is supposed to be a division sign...I don't know how to make them!)
- 4 1 (1x4) the one is to represent one time
_______
7 (11 - 4 = 7) Now ask,Can we take another group of 4 out? They will sayYES!
-4 1 (1 x 4) the one represents another group of four coming out
_____
3 (7 -4 = 3) Now ask...can we take another group of 4 out? No...you mean we have 3 left over? (or use the work remaining?)

Now you just add up the number of times you subtracted 4 (the ones on the side) 1+1 =2 with the remainder of 3

As the kids get better they will instantly do more groups of four or whatever the number is.

Example with a bigger number (because once they get this they like to do bigger numbers)
42 / 4

4/ 42
20 5 (5x4 =20)
_____
22 (42 - 20 =22)
20 5 (5 x4 = 20)
_____
2 (22-20 = 2)

Can we take another group of 4? No....so the answer is 5+5 = 10 remainder of 2

Get it?!?!? It works for the kids...And it make a lot of number sense. The parents have a hard time at first because it isn't the divide mulitply subtract bring down method, but it works and that is what matters!