Division is a mathematical operation that involves breaking a number up into an equal number of parts or groups. For example, if you have 20 things and want to divide them into four equal-sized groups, you would have 20 divided by 4, which equals 5. Division is the opposite of multiplication, and it is usually introduced in the lower grades using concrete items like counters, blocks, or even items of food such as pasta to help children understand division as sharing between groups.

The key terms involved in division include:

• Dividend: The number that is being divided.
• Divisor: The number by which the dividend is being divided.
• Quotient: The result obtained in the division process.
• Remainder: The leftover number when division cannot be done exactly.

Children typically learn the concept of division starting in the 1st grade, but the formal method of division isn’t introduced until 4th grade. To understand fractions, children must fully understand the process of dividing, starting with dividing by 2 and 4 in 1st grade, then by 3 in 2nd grade, and then by any one-digit number in 3rd grade.

There are different methods of teaching division, including repeated subtraction, using arrays, area models, and the standard algorithm. Division can be used in real-life situations, such as sharing food or money equally among a group of people.