Long Division Calculator
Whole numbers or decimals, up to 15 digits. Negative numbers work too.
Long division breaks a big division into small steps you can do in your head. Type any two numbers to see the answer written out the way it's taught in school: the layout, every divide, multiply, subtract and bring-down step, and the answer as a remainder, a mixed number or a decimal.
Repeat until there are no digits left to bring down
Divide, Multiply, Subtract, Bring Down
Here is the first round of 591 ÷ 7. 7 doesn't go into 5, so start with 59. The second round repeats the same four steps with 31.
1. Divide
How many whole times does the divisor fit? Write it above.
2. Multiply
Multiply that digit by the divisor. Write it underneath.
3. Subtract
Take it away. The result must be smaller than the divisor.
4. Bring Down
Bring the next digit down next to the result, and start again.
31 ÷ 7 = 4, 4 × 7 = 28, 31 − 28 = 3. Nothing is left to bring down, so 591 ÷ 7 = 84 R 3. If a subtraction ever gives a number as big as the divisor, the digit you picked was too small.
Don't Skip the Zero
Every digit you bring down earns a digit in the answer, even when the divisor doesn't fit. Here is 1,248 ÷ 12.
Four Ways to Write the Answer
The same division can be written as a remainder, a fraction or a decimal. Which one is right depends on what you're dividing.
| Form | 591 ÷ 7 | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Remainder | 84 R 3 | Things can't be split: 591 marbles in bags of 7 leaves 3 over |
| Mixed number | 84 3/7 | Fraction work: the remainder goes over the divisor |
| Decimal | 84.43 | Money and measurements, rounded to a sensible place |
| Rounded up | 85 | Everyone needs a place: 591 people in vans of 7 need 85 vans |
Dividing by a Decimal
Long division needs a whole-number divisor. Shift both decimal points the same way and the answer doesn't change.
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Make the Divisor Whole
In 4.5 ÷ 0.15, move the point in 0.15 two places right: it becomes 15.
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Move the Dividend the Same
Move the point in 4.5 two places too, adding a zero: it becomes 450. Both numbers were multiplied by 100.
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Divide, Point Straight Up
450 ÷ 15 = 30. If the dividend still has a decimal point, put the answer's point directly above it.
Check It on a 4 Function Calculator
A basic calculator gives decimals, not remainders. Multiply back to check, or to find the remainder.
Check 84 R 3
Find the Remainder
Decimal Answer
Work through more examples, including two-digit divisors, in How to Do Long Division: Steps and Examples.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do long division?
Repeat four steps: divide, multiply, subtract, bring down. For 591 ÷ 7: 7 goes into 59 eight times, 8 × 7 = 56, 59 − 56 = 3, bring down the 1 to make 31. Then 7 goes into 31 four times, 4 × 7 = 28, 31 − 28 = 3. No digits are left, so the answer is 84 remainder 3.
What does the R mean in a division answer?
R stands for remainder: the amount left over after dividing as many whole times as possible. 591 ÷ 7 = 84 R 3 means 7 fits into 591 a total of 84 times with 3 left over, because 84 × 7 + 3 = 591.
Why is there a 0 in the middle of my answer?
When the divisor doesn't fit after you bring down a digit, that digit of the answer is 0. 1,248 ÷ 12 is 104, not 14: after 12 ÷ 12 = 1, the 4 brought down is too small for 12, so you write 0 and bring down the 8 to make 48.
How do you turn a remainder into a decimal?
Put a decimal point after the dividend and in the answer, then keep bringing down zeros. 22 ÷ 8 = 2 R 6. Bring down a 0 to get 60: 60 ÷ 8 = 7 R 4. Bring down another 0 to get 40: 40 ÷ 8 = 5 R 0. The answer is 2.75.
How do you do long division with a decimal divisor?
Move the divisor's decimal point right until it's a whole number, and move the dividend's point the same number of places. 4.5 ÷ 0.15 becomes 450 ÷ 15 = 30. The answer doesn't change because both numbers were multiplied by 100.
How do I check a long division answer?
Multiply the quotient by the divisor and add the remainder. You should get the dividend back: for 591 ÷ 7 = 84 R 3, 84 × 7 + 3 = 588 + 3 = 591.