← Back to course
Number Trail Grade 5 / Week 04 / Wednesday
3/6
Week 04 · Divide by two-digit numbers

Wednesday

Four-digit dividends
// Estimate, divide in chunks and check
⏱ about 15 min

Wednesday: Four-digit dividends

Samantha the Squirrel has been busy all summer long.

"Fun fact: I counted 2,592 acorns in my stash!" she says.

"I want to share them equally with 36 squirrel cousins."

Bennie the Bear rubs his chin. "That is a big number, but the steps are the same."

"First we estimate. Then we take away big chunks of 36."

"And at the end we check by multiplying," adds Samantha.

She hops onto a stump, ready to begin.

Learn it: the same steps, bigger numbers

Divide 2,592 ÷ 36. The estimate is about 70.

70 groups of 36 is 2,520. Take it away: 2,592 - 2,520 = 72.

2 groups of 36 is 72. Take it away: 72 - 72 = 0.

Add the chunks: 70 + 2 = 72.

Check: 72 × 36 = 2,592. It matches, and 72 is close to the estimate of 70.

The quotient tells how many acorns each cousin gets.

Each of the 36 cousins gets 72 acorns.

ESTIMATE FIRST
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
Estimate 1,152 ÷ 48 with 1,200 ÷ 50.
Estimate 3,915 ÷ 87 with 3,600 ÷ 90.
Estimate 5,964 ÷ 71 with 5,600 ÷ 70.
DIVIDE FOUR-DIGIT NUMBERS
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
2,592 ÷ 36 = ?
1,152 ÷ 48 = ?
3,915 ÷ 87 = ?
5,964 ÷ 71 = ?
CHECK BY MULTIPLYING
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
72 × 36 = ?
To check 1,152 ÷ 48 = 24, which do we multiply?
? × 87 = 3,915
5,964 ÷ ? = 84
SentenceTrue or false?
2,592 ÷ 36 = 72?
1,152 ÷ 48 = 34?
3,915 ÷ 87 = 45?
72 × 36 = 2,592?
WHY THIS EXERCISE48 × 34 is 1,632, too big. 1,152 ÷ 48 = 24.
Try it
Find a book and look at the last page number.
Pretend you will read the same number of pages each day for 12 days.
Estimate how many pages you will read each day.
Share your estimate and your thinking with a grown-up.
Draw Samantha's acorns as chunks. Show 2,592 ÷ 36 = 72.

Great dividing! Tomorrow Chris tells a story about leftovers.

← Tuesday