The dividend is the number being divided, while the divisor is the number doing the dividing.
To understand this, let's break down the terms in a division problem:
- Dividend: The number that is being split into equal parts. It's the larger number you're starting with.
- Divisor: The number by which the dividend is being divided. It represents the number of equal parts you're dividing the dividend into.
- Quotient: The result of the division, representing how many times the divisor goes into the dividend completely.
- Remainder: The amount left over after dividing, if the divisor doesn't divide evenly into the dividend.
We can represent this as:
Dividend ÷ Divisor = Quotient (+ Remainder)
Example:
In the division problem 15 ÷ 3 = 5:
- 15 is the dividend (the number being divided).
- 3 is the divisor (the number doing the dividing).
- 5 is the quotient (the result of the division).
Think of it this way: You have 15 cookies (dividend) and want to share them equally among 3 friends (divisor). Each friend gets 5 cookies (quotient).
Summary Table:
| Term | Definition | Example (15 ÷ 3 = 5) |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend | The number being divided | 15 |
| Divisor | The number that divides the dividend | 3 |
| Quotient | The result of the division | 5 |
| Remainder | The amount left over if the division isn't exact | 0 (in this case) |
In essence, the dividend is what you are splitting up, and the divisor is how you are splitting it.
