Division Tables
Division is sharing or grouping a number into equal parts — and it is the opposite of multiplication. In Year 3 (ACARA v9), students learn the division facts that go with the multiplication facts for 3, 4, 5 and 10, so that knowing 4 x 5 = 20 also means knowing 20 / 5 = 4 and 20 / 4 = 5. The key idea: every multiplication fact gives you matching division facts, because they describe the same three numbers in a 'fact family'. Learning division tables this way — as the flip side of the times tables — means a child does not have to memorise a whole new set of facts from scratch.
Worked examples
Sharing: 12 apples are shared equally between 3 baskets. How many in each?
Split 12 into 3 equal groups. Think: 3 times what makes 12? 3 x 4 = 12.
Answer: 4 apples in each basket (12 / 3 = 4)
Grouping: how many groups of 5 are in 30?
Count how many 5s make 30. Think: 5 x 6 = 30.
Answer: 6 groups (30 / 5 = 6)
Use the fact family for 4, 10 and 40 to find 40 / 10.
The family is 4 x 10 = 40, 10 x 4 = 40, 40 / 10 = 4, 40 / 4 = 10. Pick the division you need.
Answer: 40 / 10 = 4
Real-world: 24 stickers are shared equally among 4 friends. How many does each get?
Split 24 into 4 equal groups. Think: 4 times what makes 24? 4 x 6 = 24.
Answer: 6 stickers each (24 / 4 = 6)
Tips
- •Turn division into a multiplication question. For 18 / 3, ask '3 times what makes 18?' — using times tables you already know is faster than counting out shares.
- •Learn facts in families. The numbers 3, 4 and 12 give you 3 x 4, 4 x 3, 12 / 3 and 12 / 4 — four facts for the price of one.
- •Common mistake to watch for: children often think division can be done in any order like multiplication, writing 12 / 3 = 3 / 12. Order matters in division — 12 shared into 3 groups is not the same as 3 shared into 12.
- •Practise with real sharing. Dealing cards, splitting snacks or grouping toys makes 'equal groups' concrete before moving to written facts.