Written Methods: Multiplication and Division
Written Methods: Multiplication and Division covers the formal methods pupils build up through Years 5 and 6: short multiplication, long multiplication, short division (the 'bus stop' method) and long division, plus deciding what to do with a remainder depending on the context of the question.
Before you start
Make sure you're comfortable with these topics first:
Method
- Decide from the wording of the problem whether you need to multiply or divide.
- For multiplying by a single digit, use short multiplication: multiply each column starting from the ones, carrying any extra tens into the next column.
- For multiplying by a 2-digit (or larger) number, use long multiplication: multiply by the ones digit, then multiply by the tens digit (remembering the placeholder), then add the two partial products together.
- For dividing by a single digit, use short division (the 'bus stop' method), working from the highest place value and carrying any remainder to the next digit.
- For dividing by a 2-digit number, use long division, subtracting a multiple of the divisor at each step.
- Decide what to do with any remainder based on the context: round up, round down, or express it as a fraction or decimal.
- Estimate the answer first by rounding the numbers, then check your final answer is close to that estimate.
Worked example
A school orders 18 boxes of pencils. Each box contains 144 pencils. How many pencils are ordered in total?
- Estimate first: 150 x 20 = 3000, so the answer should be reasonably close to 3000.
- Multiply 144 by 8, the ones digit of 18: 144 x 8 = 1152.
- Multiply 144 by 10, the tens digit of 18: 144 x 10 = 1440.
- Add the two partial products together: 1152 + 1440 = 2592.
- Check against the estimate: 2592 is reasonably close to 3000, so the answer of 2592 pencils is sensible.
Practice questions
Type your answer and press Check to be marked straight away, or reveal the answer and mark yourself.
Q1256 x 4 =Show answer
Answer: 1024
Q289 x 23 =Show answer
Answer: 2047 (89 x 20 = 1780, 89 x 3 = 267, 1780 + 267 = 2047)
Q3936 divided by 4 =Show answer
Answer: 234
Q44788 divided by 12 =Show answer
Answer: 399
Q5372 x 6 =Show answer
Answer: 2232
Q6A baker makes 875 buns and puts them into boxes of 25. How many boxes are needed?Show answer
Answer: 35 boxes
Exam-style questions
Written in the style of a KS2 Maths exam paper, with a full mark scheme.
672 x 34 =
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A minibus can carry 16 passengers. 294 people need to travel to a concert. a) How many minibuses are needed to carry everyone? b) How many empty seats will there be on the last minibus?
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Free printable worksheet
Want more practice on paper? Download the written methods: multiplication and division worksheet pack - 8 pages of exam-style questions with a full mark scheme. One email opens every download in this browser for 14 days - no account, no card. Print it for personal and classroom use.
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