Do wrong division then! If you have Y1 divided by X then just multiply X by whatever you want! It is helpful but not necessary that the result be less than Y1.
1. Pick a number A1
2. Multiply A1 * X = B1
3. Figure just how wrong you were Y1 - B1 = Y2 "drat I still have Y2 to go to get to Y1"
4. Return to step 1 but now use Y2 instead of Y1.
Just keep guessing and when you get a Y less than X you can stop.
Then add A1+A2+A3..... And you'll have you answer.
Example.
161 / 7
I don't know 20 maybe? 20 * 7 = 140.
DRAT! 20 7's isn't enough I still have 161-120=21 to go. Ok how many more 7's do I need to make up the missing 21? I'll go with 4.
4 * 7 = 28
Bother! Too many extra 7's 21 - 28 = -7
Ok how many 7's? Well I need to get rid of one. I guessed one to many. So -1
-1 * 7 = -7 Perfect ok lets add up the 7's
20 + 4 - 1 = 23
Sweet!
I don't actually recommend this method. I just made it up to help my kids understand long division because it is exactly how long division works, it just has a more formal way of making guesses and doing the addition at the end. Basically it forces you to pick, as your guess, 0-9 times some multiple of ten. It is kind of confusing because there is a lot going on and no one explains why?
But really all you are doing is trying to guess how many X fit in Y and then seeing how far you still have to go.
Daniel Wigton
npub1w4…q30zp
2026-09-30 15:30:38 UTC
in reply to nevent1q…ntqn
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npub1w4jkwspqn9svwnlrw0nfg0u2yx4cj6yfmp53ya4xp7r24k7gly4qaq30zpSeen on
wss://theforest.nostr1.comPublished at
2026-09-30 15:30:38 UTCEvent JSON
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"content": "Do wrong division then! If you have Y1 divided by X then just multiply X by whatever you want! It is helpful but not necessary that the result be less than Y1.\n\n1. Pick a number A1\n2. Multiply A1 * X = B1\n3. Figure just how wrong you were Y1 - B1 = Y2 \"drat I still have Y2 to go to get to Y1\" \n4. Return to step 1 but now use Y2 instead of Y1.\n\nJust keep guessing and when you get a Y less than X you can stop.\n\nThen add A1+A2+A3..... And you'll have you answer.\n\nExample.\n\n161 / 7\n\nI don't know 20 maybe? 20 * 7 = 140.\n\n DRAT! 20 7's isn't enough I still have 161-120=21 to go. Ok how many more 7's do I need to make up the missing 21? I'll go with 4.\n\n4 * 7 = 28\n\nBother! Too many extra 7's 21 - 28 = -7 \n\nOk how many 7's? Well I need to get rid of one. I guessed one to many. So -1\n\n-1 * 7 = -7 Perfect ok lets add up the 7's\n\n20 + 4 - 1 = 23\n\nSweet!\n\nI don't actually recommend this method. I just made it up to help my kids understand long division because it is exactly how long division works, it just has a more formal way of making guesses and doing the addition at the end. Basically it forces you to pick, as your guess, 0-9 times some multiple of ten. It is kind of confusing because there is a lot going on and no one explains why? \n\nBut really all you are doing is trying to guess how many X fit in Y and then seeing how far you still have to go.",
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