Suppose Jim and Anthony worked a division problem, but each got two different quotients, or answers. Let's find out who got the correct answer.
Jim and Anthony worked this problem:
Here are their solutions:
To know which answer is correct, we multiply. A rule is that the number we get when we multiply can't be greater (larger) than the dividend.
So let's work each multiplication problem. When we multiply 21 times 7, we get 147. When we multiply 21 times 8, we get 168. Here is how each problem looks:
Now let's do subtraction. Since 147 is less than 152, we can subtract: 152 minus 147 equals 5 (152 - 147 = 5). We get a remainder of 5. We can't work 152 minus 168 because 168 is greater than 152. The number we get when we multiply can't be greater than the dividend. Therefore, Jim's answer is correct. Anthony's quotient is too great.
Let' try another division problem:
Supposed Michelle and Veronica solved this problem and each got a different answer. Let's find out who got the correct answer.
When we multiply 23 times 8, we get 184. It's less than 186, so we can subtract. If we multiply 23 times 9, we get 207. It's greater than 186, so we can't subtract. Remember, the number we get when we multiply can't be larger than the dividend. Michelle's answer is correct.
