Free Printable Long Division Steps Lesson and Worksheets

A short lesson on how to do long division, in three sheets. The first shows the four steps one at a time on a single problem, then remainders and the zero mistake. The second is guided practice that starts with the first round of steps already done. The third is practice on its own, with every line of work shown in the answer key.

How It Works printable preview

How It Works

Grades 4–5

Divide, multiply, subtract, bring down: each step shown on the same problem. Plus remainders and how to check.

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Guided Practice printable preview

Guided Practice

Grade 4

Twelve problems on a grid. The first four have the first round of steps done already. Includes answer key.

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Independent Practice printable preview

Independent Practice

Grades 4–5

Twelve problems, a word problem with a remainder, and one mistake to explain. The key shows every line of work.

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About the Long Division Lesson

Long division is four small steps done in the same order again and again: divide, multiply, subtract, bring down. Each step on its own is something a 4th grader already knows how to do. What makes long division hard is keeping track of where you are and where each digit goes.

The How It Works sheet slows that down. It shows one problem, 92 ÷ 4, five times. Each picture adds only the next thing to write, in a different color, with one sentence about it. After the four steps the fifth picture repeats them to finish the problem.

The rest of the sheet covers the three things that cause most wrong answers. There is a worked problem with a remainder, a way to check any answer by multiplying back, and the case where the divisor does not go into the number and a zero has to be written in the answer.

The guided practice sheet prints faint boxes under each problem so the digits stay in their columns, and starts the first four problems for the student. The independent practice sheet removes the boxes. For more problems after that, the long division worksheets page makes a fresh set each time, and a multiplication chart helps students who are still learning their facts.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the steps of long division?
Divide, multiply, subtract, bring down. Divide the divisor into the first part of the number and write the answer on top. Multiply that answer by the divisor and write it underneath. Subtract. Bring down the next digit. Then repeat the four steps until there are no digits left to bring down.
How do you remember the long division steps?
A common memory aid is Dad, Mom, Sister, Brother, for Divide, Multiply, Subtract, Bring down. The first letters match the four steps in order.
What do you do when the divisor does not go into the number?
Write a 0 in the answer above that digit, then bring down the next digit and keep going. In 612 ÷ 6, six goes into 6 once, but there are no sixes in 1, so the answer needs a 0 before the last digit. The answer is 102.
What is a remainder?
The remainder is what is left over after the last subtraction, when there are no more digits to bring down. In 77 ÷ 3 the answer is 25 with a remainder of 2, written 25 R 2.
How do you check a long division answer?
Multiply the answer by the divisor and add the remainder. The result should be the number you started with. For 77 ÷ 3 = 25 R 2, 25 × 3 is 75, and 75 + 2 is 77.
What grade learns long division?
Long division with one-digit divisors is taught in 4th grade. Two-digit divisors are added in 5th grade, and the standard method is expected to be fluent by 6th grade.