Dividing by 3 and 4

Divide by 4 by halving twice, and by 3 by counting in 3s or thinking of the 3 times table. Practice for kids, parent help below.

🧒 Kids: divide by 3 and 4!

Use the tricks. Then tap Practice!

▶ Practice ⏱️ 1-minute challenge

Facts to learn

  1. 12 ÷ 3 = 4
  2. 21 ÷ 3 = 7
  3. 27 ÷ 3 = 9
  4. 16 ÷ 4 = 4
  5. 28 ÷ 4 = 7
  6. 36 ÷ 4 = 9

💡 Trick: 36 ÷ 4? Half of 36 is 18, half of 18 is 9!

More facts: ÷ 2, 5 and 10 · ÷ 3 and 4 · ÷ 6, 7, 8 and 9 · ÷ 0 and 1 · Fact families · Within 100

For parents and teachers ↓

This part is for grown-ups: the trick that makes these facts easy, pictures to draw, what to say, common mistakes, questions with answers and a free worksheet.

The trick: halve twice for 4, count in 3s for 3

Dividing by 4 is the same as halving and then halving again, because 4 is 2 × 2. Children who can halve can divide by 4 without knowing the 4 times table by heart. Dividing by 3 has no halving shortcut, so count in 3s until you reach the number, or ask “3 times what makes this?” using the 3 times table.

Patterns to spot

See it: pictures to draw with your child

Draw these on paper or a whiteboard. Seeing the counters makes the fact stick.

12321 ÷ 3 = 7
An array of 21 in 3 rows: each row has 7, so 21 ÷ 3 = 7.
36half18half936 ÷ 4 = 9: halve it twice
Halve 36 twice to divide by 4: 36 → 18 → 9.

Facts you already know

There are 20 facts in the 3 and 4 tables up to 40 ÷ 4. Some are already known from the 2 and 10 tables: 12 ÷ 4 = 3 pairs with 12 ÷ 3 = 4, and 20 ÷ 4 = 5 pairs with 20 ÷ 5 = 4. Children who can halve can work out every ÷ 4 fact, which leaves only a handful of ÷ 3 facts to learn.

In real life: Look for 3s and 4s: “A car has 4 wheels. There are 28 wheels in the car park. How many cars?” “Share 18 apples among 3 friends.” Tricycles and three-legged stools make good stories too.

Worked examples

Example 1: 28 ÷ 4 by halving

  1. Half of 28 is 14.
  2. Half of 14 is 7.
  3. So 28 ÷ 4 = 7.
  4. Check: 7 × 4 = 28.

Example 2: 21 ÷ 3 with an array

  1. Draw 21 dots in 3 equal rows.
  2. Each row has 7 dots.
  3. So 21 ÷ 3 = 7.

Example 3: a grouping story

  1. “There are 24 legs on the chairs.
  2. Each chair has 4 legs.
  3. How many chairs?”
  4. 24 ÷ 4: halve to 12, halve to 6.
  5. 6 chairs.

Common mistakes

Halving only once for ÷ 4Says 32 ÷ 4 = 16.Fix: ÷ 4 means halve twice: 32 → 16 → 8.
Mixing the 3s and 4sSays 24 ÷ 3 = 6.Fix: 6 × 3 = 18, not 24. Count in 3s: 24 is eight 3s, so 24 ÷ 3 = 8.
Counting from the wrong placeCounts 3s from 0 and includes 0 as a step.Fix: the first count is 3. Count the numbers you say, not where you start.

What to say to your child

A short script for your first session. Pause after each line and let your child answer.

  1. “Here are 12 cars. Put them into rows of 4.” (Makes 3 rows.)
  2. “How many rows?” (3.) “So 12 ÷ 4 = 3.”
  3. “Now put the same 12 into rows of 3. How many rows?” (4.) “12 ÷ 3 = 4.”
  4. “What is half of 20? And half of that?” (10, then 5!) “So 20 ÷ 4 = 5.”
  5. “Which trick would you use for 18 ÷ 3?” (Count in 3s: 6!)

Questions to try (answers below)

Ask these out loud or write them down. The last one is a stretch.

  1. 9 ÷ 3
  2. 15 ÷ 3
  3. 24 ÷ 3
  4. 16 ÷ 4
  5. 32 ÷ 4
  6. 40 ÷ 4
  7. ? ÷ 4 = 9
  8. There are 27 children in teams of 3. How many teams?
  9. Stretch: 48 ÷ 4
Show the answers
  1. 3
  2. 5
  3. 8
  4. 4
  5. 8
  6. 10
  7. 36
  8. 9 teams
  9. 12

Games to play at home

Wheel count

Count wheels on cars or tricycles in a picture book and divide to find how many.

Halving race

Call out an even number and race to halve it twice.

Share in threes

Deal a pile of cards into 3 equal piles and count each pile.

A 5-day plan for dividing by 3 and 4

Ten minutes a day is enough. Short, regular practice helps facts stick far better than one long session.

Next week, repeat the round in the practice tool and compare the fact map. When most facts are green, move on to the next page.

By grade

Grade 3 (3.OA.A.2 and 3.OA.B.6) uses division as sharing and as an unknown-factor problem: 32 ÷ 4 asks 4 × ? = 32. By the end of grade 3, children divide within 100 fluently (3.OA.C.7). In India, the 3 and 4 tables and their division facts are class 3 maths.

More for each grade: Grade 3 math and the CBSE class 3 maths guide.

What comes next

Next come the harder facts: dividing by 6, 7, 8 and 9. Halving twice for ÷ 4 leads straight to halving three times for ÷ 8. Keep the 3 and 4 times tables going alongside, and see arrays for more pictures.

Worksheet and more practice

Print a free worksheet with an answer key, or keep practicing online with the division practice trainer.

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More: division for kids · division facts lesson · division chart · times tables

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Questions parents ask

What is the trick for dividing by 4?

Halve the number twice. 36 ÷ 4: half of 36 is 18, half of 18 is 9. So 36 ÷ 4 = 9.

How do you divide by 3?

Count in 3s until you reach the number and count how many 3s you said, or ask “3 times what makes this?” using the 3 times table.

How can I tell if a number divides by 3?

Add its digits. If the total is 3, 6, 9 or another multiple of 3, the number divides by 3. 27: 2 + 7 = 9, so yes.

Should my child learn the 3 and 4 tables before dividing?

Learning them together works best. Each division fact is a times table fact turned around: 4 × 7 = 28, so 28 ÷ 4 = 7.

What grade learns dividing by 3 and 4?

Grade 3 (class 3), after the 2, 5 and 10 facts.