1: Set up the equation. On a piece of paper, write the dividend (number being divided) on the right, under the division symbol, and the divisor (number doing the division) to the left on the outside. The quotient (answer) will eventually go on top, right above the dividend.Leave yourself plenty of space below the equation to carry out multiple subtraction operations.Here's an example: if there are six mushrooms in a 250 gram pack, how much does each mushroom weigh on average? In this case, we must divide 250 by 6. The 6 goes on the outside, and the 250 on the inside
2.Divide the first digit. Working from left to right, determine how many times the divisor can go into the first digit of the dividend without exceeding it.In our example, you'd want to determine how many times 6 goes into 2. Since six is larger than two, the answer is zero. If you wish, may write a 0 directly above the 2 as a place-holder, and erase it later. Alternatively, you can leave that space blank and move on to the next step.
3: Divide the first two digits. If the divisor is a larger number than the first digit, determine how many times the divisor goes into the first two digits of the dividend without exceeding it.If your answer to the previous step was 0, as in the example, expand the number by one digit. In this case, we'd ask how many times 6 can go into 25.If your divisor has more than two digits, you'll have to expand out even further, to the third or maybe even fourth digit of the dividend in order to get a number that the divisor goes into.Work in terms of whole numbers. If you use a calculator, you'll discover that 6 goes into 25 a total of 4.167 times. In long division, you always round down to the nearest whole number, so in this case, our answer would be 4.
4: Enter the first digit of the quotient.Put the number of times the divisor goes into the first digit (or digits) of the dividend above the appropriate digit(s).It is important in long division to make sure the columns of numbers remain correctly aligned. Work carefully, otherwise you may make an error that leads you to the wrong answer.In the example, you would place a 4 above the 5, since we're putting 6 it into 25.
5: Multiply the divisor. The divisor should be multiplied by the number you have just written above the dividend. In our example, this is the first digit of the quotient.
