Long Division Solver

Enter any two whole numbers and see the long division worked out step by step. The solver shows the traditional layout you use in class, explains each divide-multiply-subtract-bring-down cycle, and handles remainders or decimal results.

Dividend

Divisor

Try an example

Reference Guide

The Four Steps

Long division repeats the same four steps until there are no more digits to bring down.

1 Divide the current number by the divisor. Write the quotient digit on top.

2 Multiply the quotient digit by the divisor. Write the result below.

3 Subtract to find the remainder.

4 Bring down the next digit. Then go back to step 1.

Checking Your Work

You can always verify a division answer by multiplying back. If the answer is correct, you will get the original dividend.

Exact division

\text{quotient} \times \text{divisor} = \text{dividend}

With remainder

\text{quotient} \times \text{divisor} + \text{remainder} = \text{dividend}

For example, $17 \div 5 = 3$ R $2$ . Check: $3 \times 5 + 2 = 17$ . Correct!

Remainders and Decimals

When the division does not come out evenly, you can express the answer three different ways.

As a remainder

$17 \div 5 = 3$ remainder $2$ . Written as 3 R 2.

As a fraction

$17 \div 5 = 3\frac{2}{5}$ . The remainder becomes the numerator over the divisor.

As a decimal

$17 \div 5 = 3.4$ . Add a decimal point and keep dividing by bringing down zeros.

Key Vocabulary

Dividend

The number being divided. It goes inside the division bracket. In $492 \div 4$ , the dividend is 492.

Divisor

The number you are dividing by. It goes outside the bracket. In $492 \div 4$ , the divisor is 4.

Quotient

The answer to the division. It is written above the bracket.

Remainder

What is left over after dividing. If the remainder is 0, the division is exact.