Solve the Division Problem: 72 ÷ 18

Q: Why split 72 into 36+36 instead of other combinations?

Because 36 is a multiple of 18! When you use multiples of the divisor, the division becomes simple: 36 ÷ 18 = 2. Other splits like 50+22 would give messy fractions.

Q: What if I can't think of good numbers to split with?

Start by finding multiples of your divisor. For 18, think: 18, 36, 54, 72... Since 72 appears in this list, you can split it as 36+36 or use other combinations like 18+54.

Step-by-step video solution

Watch the teacher solve the problem with clear explanations

00:00 Solve

00:03 We'll use the distributive law

00:07 We'll break down 72 into 36 plus 36

00:12 We'll divide each factor separately

00:25 We'll solve each division and then sum

00:31 And this is the solution to the question

Step-by-step written solution

Follow each step carefully to understand the complete solution

1

Understand the problem

Solve the following exercise:

=72:18

2

Step-by-step solution

Apply the distributive property of division and proceed to split the number 72 into a sum of 36 and 36, which makes the division operation easier and allows us to solve the exercise without a calculator.

Note - it's advisable to split the number according to multiples of the divisor. In this case of the number 18 because we need to divide by 18.

Reminder - The distributive property of division actually allows us to split the larger term in the division problem into a sum or difference of smaller numbers, which makes the division operation easier and allows us to solve the exercise without a calculator

We will use the formula of the distributive property

$(a+b):c=a:c+b:c$

$72:18=(36+36):18$

$(36+36):18=36:18+36:18$

$36:18+36:18=2+2$

$2+2=4$

Therefore the answer is option B - 4.

3

Final Answer

4

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic

Rule: Use distributive property to split dividend into manageable parts
Technique: Split 72 into 36+36 since both are multiples of 18
Check: Verify 4 × 18 = 72 to confirm the answer ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors

Splitting numbers randomly without considering the divisor
Don't split 72 into random parts like 50+22 = incorrect difficult division! This creates fractions and makes calculation harder. Always split the dividend into parts that are multiples of your divisor (18).

Practice Quiz

Test your knowledge with interactive questions

$$ 140-70= $$

FAQ

Everything you need to know about this question

Why split 72 into 36+36 instead of other combinations?

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Because 36 is a multiple of 18! When you use multiples of the divisor, the division becomes simple: 36 ÷ 18 = 2. Other splits like 50+22 would give messy fractions.

What if I can't think of good numbers to split with?

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Start by finding multiples of your divisor. For 18, think: 18, 36, 54, 72... Since 72 appears in this list, you can split it as 36+36 or use other combinations like 18+54.

Can I just use long division instead?

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Absolutely! Long division works perfectly for 72 ÷ 18. The distributive property is just an alternative method that helps you practice mental math and understand division better.

How do I know my split is correct?

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Add your split numbers back together! For example: 36+36 = 72 ✓. If they don't equal your original dividend, try a different split.

Does this method work for all division problems?

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This method works best when you can easily split the dividend into multiples of the divisor. For harder problems, traditional long division might be more practical.

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Solve the Division Problem: 72 ÷ 18

Division with Distributive Property

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