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Long Division Calculator

Q: How do you do long division?

Repeat four steps from left to right: divide the current number by the divisor, multiply the quotient digit by the divisor, subtract, and bring down the next digit. When no digits are left, what remains is the remainder.

Q: How do I write a remainder?

You can write it as R (125 ÷ 3 = 41 R 2), as a fraction over the divisor (41 2/3) or keep dividing with decimal zeros to get a decimal (41.666…).

Q: How do you divide by a decimal?

Move the decimal point in the divisor to the right until it is a whole number, and move the dividend's point the same number of places. 7.5 ÷ 0.25 becomes 750 ÷ 25 = 30. The calculator does this automatically.

Q: What is a repeating decimal?

A decimal whose digits repeat forever, such as 1 ÷ 3 = 0.333… or 1 ÷ 7 = 0.142857142857…. It happens when the divisor in lowest terms has a prime factor other than 2 or 5. Repeating digits are shown in brackets.

Q: How do I check a long division answer?

Multiply the quotient by the divisor and add the remainder. You should get the dividend back: 41 × 3 + 2 = 125.

Q: What are the dividend, divisor and quotient?

In 125 ÷ 3 = 41 R 2, 125 is the dividend, 3 is the divisor, 41 is the quotient and 2 is the remainder. The remainder is always smaller than the divisor.

Divide two numbers and see the work: the quotient, the remainder, the decimal answer and the full long division layout with every subtract-and-bring-down step. Repeating decimals are detected automatically.

Dividend (number to divide)

Divisor (divide by)

Decimal places

For the decimal answer; the layout shows up to 8

Enter your values to see the result.

How to use the Long Division Calculator

Enter the dividend, the number you are dividing.
Enter the divisor, the number you divide by.
Choose decimal places for the decimal answer.
Press Divide to see the quotient, remainder, layout and steps.
Follow the layout from top to bottom: divide, multiply, subtract, bring down the next digit.

The long division method

Long division breaks a big division into small ones you can do in your head. Work through the dividend one digit at a time, from left to right:

Divide the current number by the divisor and write the whole-number result above it.
Multiply that quotient digit by the divisor and write the product underneath.
Subtract to get the remainder, which must be smaller than the divisor.
Bring down the next digit next to the remainder and repeat.

The relationship behind it is dividend = divisor × quotient + remainder, with 0 ≤ remainder < divisor. To continue past the decimal point, put a decimal point in the quotient and bring down zeros.

Worked examples

Division	Quotient R remainder	Mixed number	Decimal
125 ÷ 3	41 R 2	41 2/3	41.(6)
1,260 ÷ 7	180 R 0	180	180
4,592 ÷ 16	287 R 0	287	287
98,765 ÷ 123	802 R 119	802 119/123	802.967479…
1 ÷ 7	0 R 1	1/7	0.(142857)
22 ÷ 8	2 R 6	2 3/4	2.75

A fraction in lowest terms gives a terminating decimal only if its denominator has no prime factors other than 2 and 5. Otherwise the decimal repeats, and the repeating block is never longer than the divisor minus one.

Frequently asked questions

How do you do long division?

Repeat four steps from left to right: divide the current number by the divisor, multiply the quotient digit by the divisor, subtract, and bring down the next digit. When no digits are left, what remains is the remainder.

How do I write a remainder?

You can write it as R (125 ÷ 3 = 41 R 2), as a fraction over the divisor (41 2/3) or keep dividing with decimal zeros to get a decimal (41.666…).

How do you divide by a decimal?

Move the decimal point in the divisor to the right until it is a whole number, and move the dividend's point the same number of places. 7.5 ÷ 0.25 becomes 750 ÷ 25 = 30. The calculator does this automatically.

What is a repeating decimal?

A decimal whose digits repeat forever, such as 1 ÷ 3 = 0.333… or 1 ÷ 7 = 0.142857142857…. It happens when the divisor in lowest terms has a prime factor other than 2 or 5. Repeating digits are shown in brackets.

How do I check a long division answer?

Multiply the quotient by the divisor and add the remainder. You should get the dividend back: 41 × 3 + 2 = 125.

What are the dividend, divisor and quotient?

In 125 ÷ 3 = 41 R 2, 125 is the dividend, 3 is the divisor, 41 is the quotient and 2 is the remainder. The remainder is always smaller than the divisor.

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