Before anyone can really grasp how to complete long division questions, they must have mastered their multiplication tables. In order to divide numbers properly, multiplication skills are crucial -- if the student is having a hard time completing multiplication, it will affect his ability to focus on the actual dividing. When someone is having troubles with long division, go back to basics and practice the 1 through 12 multiplication tables to help them improve their skills before moving onto a more complicated step.
Once you’re sure he knows his multiplication tables sufficiently, make sure your student grasps the concept of factors. Since factors are numbers that multiply together to achieve a certain number, this is a great way to explain how you go about starting a long division question. In order to divide a large number in a long division question, the student must be familiar with what numbers can be multiplied together to get a certain number. Have him practice writing out the factors for various numbers so he understands this concept before attempting a long division question.
When it comes time to factoring, the basic method is: divide, multiply, subtract and bring down. Since this is a multistep process, it can be hard to remember what to do first. Have your student come up with a pneumonic device to help them remember the order of the steps. Make an acronym that starts with the same letters of each step, such as “Don’t Miss Sister’s Birth Day” or something similar so they can easily remember how to do the problem. Breaking down long division questions is less daunting and helps the student focus on one part of the problem at a time without being overwhelmed.
For students that aren’t able to grasp the basic division, multiplication, subtraction and bring down method of long division, try the 1, 2, 4, 8, Division technique. This technique -- also known as double division -- requires the student to multiply the divisor by 1, 2, 4, and 8 and write down the answers. The student then chooses the closest answer and adds zeros to help him determine the actual number.