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Dividing by One-Digit Numbers

Focus Predicting the outcome when separating groups,
and finding quotients without the blocks
tudents have learned how to divide any three-digit number by a singledigit number by using the blocks. This is an important achievement in and of itself. It gives students a concrete understanding of the division process. In this section students build on that understanding, now predicting what will happen before they share the blocks. This focus on prediction helps students to be more conscious of their work and to develop mental computation and paper-and-pencil techniques. To internalize the process, students need many opportunities to divide collections of blocks and should do so until they can consistently predict the result of any division before physically performing the task. In division, students will need to predict two types of outcomes. For example, consider 3 children sharing 714 blocks. Starting with the leftmost place, students first predict the number of blocks-of-100 each child will get. Knowing that 7 3 = 2 R1, students can predict that each child will get 2 such blocks, and they will need to unpack the remaining one. Students then need to predict the number in the next place after blocks are unpacked and added to it. In this case, they must predict that there will be 11 ones after the block-of-100 is unpacked.

In division, these predictions are cyclical. The student now returns to predicting the number of blocks-of-10 each child will receive. The ability to predict the number in each column when blocks are unpacked relies on knowing for example, that there are 11 tens in the number 114. This concept of reading a number to any place was investigated in section 1-7; you can review this section with students as needed.

Making Predictions
Present an example such as 87 3 and have students represent the 87. Ask,

How many do you think there will be in each group?

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Have students discuss their predictions and then distribute the blocks to check. Next ask,

How can you predict the number of single blocks there will be when you unpack the leftover tens and add the new singles to the ones place?
When representing the original number on the Place mat, students may find it helpful to record the total number of ones at the top of the mat in the ones column. When blocks need to be unpacked immediately, students can predict the number of blocks of the next size just by reading the number. Have students investigate 243 3 and again predict before unpacking. Have students discuss their prediction techniques. If no one mentions looking at the written number to predict the number of tens ask,

How does the number code for 243 help you to predict the number of blocks-of-10?
(If necessary, review section 1-7 with students.) Now present the example 496 3 and have students represent 496 on their Place mats. For each place, have students predict how many there will be in each group. Continue asking questions to encourage students to ref lect on their actions. Help them to realize that making a mistake is fine and that they will get better at making predictions with time. Further, they can always use the blocks and self-correct when necessary. Have students explore a variety of examples and related story problems over several days. After students gain confidence in their ability to predict one place at a time, present the example 252 4. Have students represent 252 and this time challenge them to predict the answer before dividing the blocks. Encourage students to explain how they made their predictions and then use the blocks to check their thinking. Provide other division examples and story problems, encouraging students to represent the original quantity and then make predictions before using the blocks to model the division process. This is a good time to review the fact that a division problem such as 213 3 yields the same answer whether the 3 represents the number of groups or the number in each group. Consider a problem such as this:

There are 213 tennis balls. There are 3 tennis balls in each can. How many cans of tennis balls are there?
Have students discuss whether it is easier to make groups of 3 or 3 equal groups. Help them recognize why they can choose whichever way is easier.

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Developing Recording Steps for Division
Students should represent division concretely over and over again until they are able to consistently predict exact outcomes at all stages of the process when the blocks are in view. Encourage students to develop recording schemes for their work. You can either guide them to record in a conventional manner, or allow them to develop their own recording methods. In either case, emphasize the importance of keeping track of the number of blocks in each place. Graph paper or lined paper turned vertically can help students to keep numbers aligned correctly. Have students work with the blocks as they record what they are doing. Ask questions such as these:

How many hundreds can you give to each group? How many hundreds have you given out in all? How many hundreds are left? What will you do with the blocks-of-100 that are left?
If you want students to use the traditional written algorithm, be sure that they can connect their recordings with their physical actions. For example:

174 R 2 3 )5 2 4 3 22 21 14 12 2

1 block-of-100 is given to each group, using 3 of them. 2 blocks-of-100 remain; when unpacked, there are 22 blocks-of-10. 7 blocks-of-10 are given to each group, using 21 of them. 1 block-of-10 remains; when unpacked, there are 14 ones. 4 single blocks are given to each group, using 12 of them. 2 single blocks are left over.

Following is a recording scheme that differs from the traditional form and may help students to relate their work with the blocks to the symbolic recording. By this method, they keep track of the number of blocks in each place, crossing out a number when it no longer represents the number of blocks in that column.

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1 7 4 R2 3 ) 5 /2 /4 3 /2 22 21 /1 14 12 2
When students have well-developed recording schemes that they can explain clearly, have them find quotients without using the blocks. Then have students generalize their approach. Ask,

What if we wanted to divide a number in the thousands? in the ten thousands?

While calculators are usually more efficient here, the idea is simple. Students follow the same process: They share the largest blocks, unpack any that remain, add the smaller blocks to those in the next place, then share those blocks, and so on. Students should realize that this approach would work with a number of any size. As students begin to work without the blocks, it is important that they continue to use their mental image of the blocks to make sure answers make sense. Note that blocks should still be available to students to check their work or to investigate a more challenging example. Give particular attention to examples that result in zero in the tens place, such as 724 7, as some students forget to record the zero. Images of the number of blocks there would be in each group are helpful. Students should realize that they can give each group a block-of-100, but didnt have enough blocksof-10 to share. Estimationthat is, thinking about only the largest blocksis helpful here. Working on graph or column paper also helps. You should also ask questions such as these:

Do you think the quotient will be less than 100? more than 100? Why do you think so?

Practicing Key Ideas

Predict a Quotient
Students work in pairs. One student writes a two- or three-digit number and the other student writes a one-digit number in order to create a division example. Together, they put blocks on a Place mat to represent the number to be divided, and set out the appropriate number of plates to hold separate groups. They also predict each step of the process and then use the blocks to check their predictions.

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Missing Number
Present a division example with the dividend missing. Students first predict the number and then use the blocks to check.

3)

63

9)

12 R 2

Encourage students to discuss their strategies for finding the missing number.

Assessing Learning
1. Present 264 6. Ask the student to represent 264 and then predict the answer before sharing the blocks. Does the student predict correctly? self-correct if necessary? find the correct answer? clearly explain his or her thinking? 2. Present the example 803 8. Ask the student to find the answer without using the blocks and explain his or her thinking while working. Does the student find the correct answer? clearly explain his or her thinking? 3. Present the following story problem:

Uncle Tino has 433 baseball cards. He wants his 4 nephews to share the cards. How many cards will each child get?
Does the student use paper-and-pencil strategies or model the situation with the blocks? answer correctly? interpret the remainder in a reasonable way? 4. Present the division example 629 8 and ask,

Will there be more than 100 in each group? less than 70? Why do you think so?
Does the student answer correctly? reason correctly? clearly explain his or her thinking?

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