Step-by-step Maths Level 4: Missing numbers and dividing with 3 and 4
Part of the Step-by-step Maths Level 4 times tables 3 and 4 chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Missing numbers and dividing with 3 and 4
Division is the opposite of multiplication. 24 ÷ 3 asks: how many groups of 3 make 24?
To find a missing number, think of the times table. 4 × ___ = 28 asks: what times 4 makes 28?
Key ideas
- Division asks how many groups of the number make the total.
- Find the missing number by counting in steps.
- Division is the inverse of multiplication.
Method. Use the 3 or 4 facts. Count in steps of the number to find the missing number.
- Think: how many groups of 4 make 28? Count in steps of the first number.4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28
- Count the groups. We said 7 numbers, so there are 7 groups.7 groups of 4
- Write the missing number. This is the number of groups.7
Check. Check: 4 × 7 = 28.
Watch out. The times table of 4 is the key. Division is the opposite of multiplication.
Method. Use the 3 or 4 facts. Count in steps of the number to find the missing number.
- Think of the multiplication: 3 × ___ = 24. Division asks how many groups.3 × ___ = 24
- Count in 3s until you reach 24. Count the steps as you go.3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24
- Write the answer. This is the number of groups.8
Check. Check: 3 × 8 = 24.
Watch out. The times table of 3 is the key. Division is the opposite of multiplication.
Method. Use the 3 or 4 facts. Count in steps of the number to find the missing number.
- Think of the times table of 3. The missing number is the number of groups of this size.3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21
- Find the number of counts. We counted 7 times to reach 21.7 counts
- Write the missing number. It goes in the gap.7
Check. Check: 3 × 7 = 21.
Watch out. The times table of 3 is the key. Division is the opposite of multiplication.
Watch out
Watch out. 24 ÷ 3 is 8, because 3 × 8 = 24. Do not divide 3 by 24.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask: “What times the number makes this answer? Count in steps until you get there.”
Exercise 4C Practice: missing numbers and division
Non-calculatorMethod. Use the 3 or 4 facts. Count in steps of the number to find the missing number.
- Think of the times table of 4. The missing number is the number of groups of this size.4, 8, 12, 16
- Find the number of counts. We counted 4 times to reach 16.4 counts
- Write the missing number. It goes in the gap.4
Check. Check: 4 × 4 = 16.
Watch out. The times table of 4 is the key. Division is the opposite of multiplication.
Method. Division can find how many equal groups fit. Count the groups in steps of the group size.
- Think of the division: 27 ÷ 3. Each bag holds the same number, so count how many groups of this size there are.27 ÷ 3 = ___
- Count in 3s until you reach 27. Count one bag at a time.3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27
- Write the answer. This is the number of bags.9
Check. Check: 9 bags of 3 is 27.
Watch out. Count the groups, not the number in each group.
Method. Use the 3 or 4 facts. Count in steps of the number to find the missing number.
- Think: how many groups of 4 make 48? Count in steps of the first number.4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, 40, 44, 48
- Count the groups. We said 12 numbers, so there are 12 groups.12 groups of 4
- Write the missing number. This is the number of groups.12
Check. Check: 4 × 12 = 48.
Watch out. The times table of 4 is the key. Division is the opposite of multiplication.
Method. Use the 3 or 4 facts. Count in steps of the number to find the missing number.
- Think: how many groups of 4 make 12? Count in steps of the first number.4, 8, 12
- Count the groups. We said 3 numbers, so there are 3 groups.3 groups of 4
- Write the missing number. This is the number of groups.3
Check. Check: 4 × 3 = 12.
Watch out. The times table of 4 is the key. Division is the opposite of multiplication.
Method. Use the 3 or 4 facts. Count in steps of the number to find the missing number.
- Think of the times table of 4. The missing number is the number of groups of this size.4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24
- Find the number of counts. We counted 6 times to reach 24.6 counts
- Write the missing number. It goes in the gap.6
Check. Check: 4 × 6 = 24.
Watch out. The times table of 4 is the key. Division is the opposite of multiplication.
Method. Use the 3 or 4 facts. Count in steps of the number to find the missing number.
- Think of the multiplication: 4 × ___ = 44. Division asks how many groups.4 × ___ = 44
- Count in 4s until you reach 44. Count the steps as you go.4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, 40, 44
- Write the answer. This is the number of groups.11
Check. Check: 4 × 11 = 44.
Watch out. The times table of 4 is the key. Division is the opposite of multiplication.
Method. Division can find how many equal groups fit. Count the groups in steps of the group size.
- Think of the division: 30 ÷ 3. Each bag holds the same number, so count how many groups of this size there are.30 ÷ 3 = ___
- Count in 3s until you reach 30. Count one bag at a time.3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30
- Write the answer. This is the number of bags.10
Check. Check: 10 bags of 3 is 30.
Watch out. Count the groups, not the number in each group.
Method. Division can find how many equal groups fit. Count the groups in steps of the group size.
- Think of the division: 48 ÷ 4. Each bag holds the same number, so count how many groups of this size there are.48 ÷ 4 = ___
- Count in 4s until you reach 48. Count one bag at a time.4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, 40, 44, 48
- Write the answer. This is the number of bags.12
Check. Check: 12 bags of 4 is 48.
Watch out. Count the groups, not the number in each group.
Method. Use the 3 or 4 facts. Count in steps of the number to find the missing number.
- Think of the times table of 4. The missing number is the number of groups of this size.4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, 40, 44
- Find the number of counts. We counted 11 times to reach 44.11 counts
- Write the missing number. It goes in the gap.11
Check. Check: 4 × 11 = 44.
Watch out. The times table of 4 is the key. Division is the opposite of multiplication.
Method. Use the 3 or 4 facts. Count in steps of the number to find the missing number.
- Think: how many groups of 4 make 44? Count in steps of the first number.4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, 40, 44
- Count the groups. We said 11 numbers, so there are 11 groups.11 groups of 4
- Write the missing number. This is the number of groups.11
Check. Check: 4 × 11 = 44.
Watch out. The times table of 4 is the key. Division is the opposite of multiplication.
Method. Use the 3 or 4 facts. Count in steps of the number to find the missing number.
- Think of the times table of 3. The missing number is the number of groups of this size.3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24
- Find the number of counts. We counted 8 times to reach 24.8 counts
- Write the missing number. It goes in the gap.8
Check. Check: 3 × 8 = 24.
Watch out. The times table of 3 is the key. Division is the opposite of multiplication.
Method. Use the 3 or 4 facts. Count in steps of the number to find the missing number.
- Think of the multiplication: 4 × ___ = 8. Division asks how many groups.4 × ___ = 8
- Count in 4s until you reach 8. Count the steps as you go.4, 8
- Write the answer. This is the number of groups.2
Check. Check: 4 × 2 = 8.
Watch out. The times table of 4 is the key. Division is the opposite of multiplication.
Method. Division can find how many equal groups fit. Count the groups in steps of the group size.
- Think of the division: 24 ÷ 3. Each bag holds the same number, so count how many groups of this size there are.24 ÷ 3 = ___
- Count in 3s until you reach 24. Count one bag at a time.3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24
- Write the answer. This is the number of bags.8
Check. Check: 8 bags of 3 is 24.
Watch out. Count the groups, not the number in each group.
Method. Use the 3 or 4 facts. Count in steps of the number to find the missing number.
- Think: how many groups of 3 make 9? Count in steps of the first number.3, 6, 9
- Count the groups. We said 3 numbers, so there are 3 groups.3 groups of 3
- Write the missing number. This is the number of groups.3
Check. Check: 3 × 3 = 9.
Watch out. The times table of 3 is the key. Division is the opposite of multiplication.
Method. Division can find how many equal groups fit. Count the groups in steps of the group size.
- Think of the division: 40 ÷ 4. Each bag holds the same number, so count how many groups of this size there are.40 ÷ 4 = ___
- Count in 4s until you reach 40. Count one bag at a time.4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, 40
- Write the answer. This is the number of bags.10
Check. Check: 10 bags of 4 is 40.
Watch out. Count the groups, not the number in each group.
Method. Division can find how many equal groups fit. Count the groups in steps of the group size.
- Think of the division: 24 ÷ 3. Each bag holds the same number, so count how many groups of this size there are.24 ÷ 3 = ___
- Count in 3s until you reach 24. Count one bag at a time.3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24
- Write the answer. This is the number of bags.8
Check. Check: 8 bags of 3 is 24.
Watch out. Count the groups, not the number in each group.