Primary 3 Multiplication and Division Study Guide
Primary 3 multiplication and division in four short steps: multiplying in columns, long division with a remainder, what a remainder means in a story, and checking a division by multiplying. Each step has a question to try, and worked examples come at the end.
Start here
How do you multiply and divide by a 1-digit number?
Work one place at a time.
Hundreds, tens and ones each have their own column. When a place reaches 10 or more, it is renamed: 10 ones make 1 ten, and 10 tens make 1 hundred. Multiplying renames up into the next place. Dividing renames what is left down into the next place.
In this chapter, your child uses this to:
- multiply up to 3 digits by 1 digit, starting with the ones;
- divide from the greatest place, and name the quotient and the remainder;
- decide what a remainder means in a word problem;
- check a division by multiplying back.
Step 1
3-digit by 1-digit multiplication
Start with the ones. Multiply one place at a time: ones, then tens, then hundreds. Multiply first, then add the number on top. When a place makes 10 or more, write the ones digit and rename the rest into the next place.
Tap Next place
Find 214 × 4.
Step 2
Division with remainder
Start with the greatest place. Use the times table to find the biggest number that fits, write it on top, minus, then bring down the next digit. The number on top is the quotient. What is left at the bottom is the remainder, and it must be smaller than the number we divide by.
Tap Next step
What is the remainder when 86 is divided by 3?
Step 3
Remainder word problems
Read what the question asks for. After dividing, decide what the remainder means. The question may want full groups only, the items left over, or enough boxes for every item. If every item must fit, the items left over need 1 more box.
A baker has 50 buns. Each box holds at most 8 buns. What is the least number of boxes needed to pack all the buns?
Step 4
Checking a division by multiplying
Multiplying undoes dividing. Multiply the quotient by the number you divided by, then add the remainder. If you get back the number you started with, the division is right. The mixed practice set uses multiplying and dividing together, so this check helps on every question.
Drag the slider
The remainder is always smaller than the number you divide by.
Mei Ling works out 45 ÷ 7 = 6 R 3. To check, she finds 6 × 7 = 42. What should she do next?
Primary 3 multiplication and division questions, worked step by stepHave a go on paper first. Then open a hint, or reveal the working one line at a time.
A box holds 165 marbles. How many marbles are there in 4 such boxes?
- Ones: 5 × 4 = 20 ones, which is 2 tens and 0 ones. Write 0, and put 2 on top of the tens.
- Tens: 6 × 4 = 24 tens. Add the 2 tens on top: 24 + 2 = 26 tens. Write 6, and put 2 on top of the hundreds.
- Hundreds: 1 × 4 = 4 hundreds. Add the 2 on top: 4 + 2 = 6 hundreds.
- 165 × 4 = 660
Find the quotient and the remainder when 754 is divided by 6.
- Hundreds: 6 × 1 = 6 fits into 7. Write 1 on top. 7 minus 6 is 1.
- Bring down the 5 to make 15. 6 × 2 = 12 fits, and 6 × 3 = 18 is too big. Write 2 on top. 15 minus 12 is 3.
- Bring down the 4 to make 34. 6 × 5 = 30 fits, and 6 × 6 = 36 is too big. Write 5 on top. 34 minus 30 is 4.
- 4 is smaller than 6, so we stop. Quotient 125, remainder 4.
Siti has 88 stickers. She puts 6 stickers on each page of her album until she cannot fill another page. How many stickers are left over?
- Divide 88 by 6. Tens: 6 × 1 = 6 fits into 8. Write 1 on top. 8 minus 6 is 2.
- Bring down the 8 to make 28. 6 × 4 = 24 fits. Write 4 on top. 28 minus 24 is 4.
- 88 ÷ 6 = 14 R 4: 14 full pages, with 4 stickers left over.
- The question asks for the stickers left over. That is the remainder: 4.
734 pupils are going to a camp. Each tent holds at most 6 pupils. What is the least number of tents needed for all the pupils?
- Divide 734 by 6. Hundreds: 6 × 1 = 6 fits into 7. Write 1 on top. 7 minus 6 is 1.
- Bring down the 3 to make 13. 6 × 2 = 12 fits. Write 2 on top. 13 minus 12 is 1.
- Bring down the 4 to make 14. 6 × 2 = 12 fits. Write 2 on top. 14 minus 12 is 2.
- 734 ÷ 6 = 122 R 2: 122 full tents, and 2 pupils still need a place.
- The 2 pupils need 1 more tent: 122 + 1 = 123.
A school buys 4 cartons of pencils. Each carton has 184 pencils. The pencils are then packed into packets of 6. What is the greatest number of full packets that can be made?
- Pencils altogether: 184 × 4. Ones: 4 × 4 = 16, write 6 and put 1 on top. Tens: 8 × 4 = 32, plus 1 is 33, write 3 and put 3 on top.
- Hundreds: 1 × 4 = 4, plus 3 is 7. So there are 736 pencils.
- Packets: divide 736 by 6. Hundreds: 7 minus 6 is 1. Bring down 3: 13 minus 12 is 1. Bring down 6: 16 minus 12 is 4.
- 736 ÷ 6 = 122 R 4. The 4 pencils left over cannot fill a packet of 6.
- Greatest number of full packets: 122.
Step 5
Check yourself
Five short questions on multiplying, dividing and remainders. Nothing is saved, and your answers point to the set to practise next.
1. Find 309 × 5.
2. Divide 97 by 4. What are the quotient and the remainder?
3. Ali has 60 stamps. He puts 9 stamps on each card. What is the greatest number of cards he can fill?
4. A van carries at most 8 crates. What is the least number of vans needed to carry 75 crates?
5. Which of these cannot be a remainder when a number is divided by 6?
Say each place out loud. Before your child taps Next, ask them to say the line first, for example "6 ones times 3 is 18 ones, so 1 ten goes on top." Naming the place each time is what makes the column method stay. Each step takes a few minutes.
In word problems, ask one question before any working: what does the answer count? Full groups, the items left over, or enough boxes for everything. Let your child try each worked example on paper, then reveal the lines one at a time.
More study guides
P3 Multiplication and Division lessons and practice
3 lesson videos and 33 questions across three subtopics, from Basic to Challenge, each with a worked solution.
Watch and practise →