Long Division Problem: Dividing 38 by 2 Step-by-Step

Q: What does it mean to 'bring down' a digit?

Bringing down means taking the next digit from your dividend and placing it next to your remainder. In this problem, after dividing 2 into 3 (getting 1 remainder 1), you bring down the 8 to make 18.

Q: Why can't I just divide 38 ÷ 2 in my head?

You absolutely can! $ 38 \div 2 = 19 $ is simple mental math. But learning long division steps prepares you for much harder problems where mental math won't work.

Q: What if there's a remainder at the end?

If you have a remainder, you can either:Write it as quotient remainder XConvert to a decimal by adding a decimal point and zeroExpress as a mixed number or fraction

Q: How do I check if my long division is correct?

Multiply your quotient × divisor and add any remainder. The result should equal your original dividend. For this problem: $ 19 \times 2 = 38 $ ✓

Long Division with Two-Digit Dividends

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Step-by-step video solution

Watch the teacher solve the problem with clear explanations

00:00 Solve

00:03 Let's start by dividing the leftmost digit by the divisor

00:08 Write the result above

00:12 Now multiply the result by the divisor

00:15 Subtract the product from the digit

00:20 Now bring down the next digit and use the same steps

00:24 Divide

00:33 Write the result above

00:37 Multiply the result, subtract

00:44 We got 0, meaning there's no remainder

00:47 And this is the solution to the question

Step-by-step written solution

Follow each step carefully to understand the complete solution

Understand the problem

Step-by-step solution

To solve this problem, let's carry out the division:

Step 1: Confirm the numbers involved. We are dividing 38 by 2, where 38 is the dividend and 2 is the divisor.
Step 2: Perform the division using long division or directly calculate $38 \div 2$ .
Step 3: Start dividing: 2 goes into 3 one time (since 2 fits into 3 once), leaving a remainder of 1.
Step 4: Bring down the next digit from the dividend. The sequence now is: how many times does 2 go into 18?
Step 5: 2 fits into 18 nine times exactly without any remainder.

Thus, $38 \div 2 = 19$ .

Therefore, the solution to this problem is $19$ .

Final Answer

$19$

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic

Setup: Place divisor outside, dividend inside the long division symbol
Technique: Divide digit by digit: 2 into 3 gives 1, then 2 into 18 gives 9
Check: Multiply answer by divisor: $19 \times 2 = 38$ ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors

Forgetting to bring down the next digit
Don't just divide 2 into 3 and stop = wrong answer of 1! This ignores the remaining digit. Always bring down each digit from the dividend and continue dividing until complete.

Practice Quiz

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FAQ

Everything you need to know about this question

What does it mean to 'bring down' a digit?

Bringing down means taking the next digit from your dividend and placing it next to your remainder. In this problem, after dividing 2 into 3 (getting 1 remainder 1), you bring down the 8 to make 18.

Why can't I just divide 38 ÷ 2 in my head?

You absolutely can! $38 \div 2 = 19$ is simple mental math. But learning long division steps prepares you for much harder problems where mental math won't work.

What if there's a remainder at the end?

If you have a remainder, you can either:

Write it as quotient remainder X
Convert to a decimal by adding a decimal point and zero
Express as a mixed number or fraction

How do I check if my long division is correct?

Multiply your quotient × divisor and add any remainder. The result should equal your original dividend. For this problem: $19 \times 2 = 38$ ✓

What if the first digit is smaller than the divisor?

That's normal! When 2 doesn't go into 3 evenly, you get 1 with remainder 1. Then you bring down the next digit (8) to continue: 2 goes into 18 exactly 9 times.

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