Division
In mathematics, division is an arithmetic operation which is the inverse of multiplication.
Contents
[hide]Overview
Division is the inverse of multiplication. Thus,
Definition
If and , then , where is the dividend, is the divisor, and is the quotient.
Process
The most common division algorithm used is with long division, a process that divides parts of numbers. Long division "breaks" up the number to make division simpler.
19
6)114
-6
54
-54
0
Conventions
If the quotient is not a whole number, it is usually written in decimal form: . Sometimes, it is written with its remainder: .
Dividing Special Numbers
Fractions
If you divide by a fraction, multiply the dividend by the divisor's reciprocal (Note: You will see a definition of a reciprocal if you go to the article Ordinary Multiplication).
For instance:
Decimals
When dividing by decimals, multiply both sides by a power of 10 so the divisor is an integer.
For instance:
One and Itself
Any number divided by one equals itself. Similarly, any number divided by itself equals one.
For instance: and
Zero
Division by is undefined. Equations where any values is divided by will become undefined also.