Worksheet guide
What is on the long division sheet
Each question prints the bus stop frame with a two-digit divisor outside, a three- or four-digit dividend inside, and two ruled working lines to the right for the subtraction steps. The frame does the layout job so the child can spend their attention on the method.
Division gives whole numbers is on by default, which keeps the answers clean. Switching it off mixes in remainders, which is closer to real problems but considerably harder to mark quickly.
The method, step by step
Take the first part of the dividend that the divisor will go into, and write the quotient digit above the bracket. Multiply the divisor by that digit, write the product underneath the dividend digits, and subtract. Bring down the next digit and repeat. The process ends when there are no digits left to bring down.
The place-value alignment is the hard part. Each product must sit under the digits it was subtracted from, and each brought-down digit must land in the right column. That is why the printed frame uses fixed-width digit cells rather than ordinary text.
Pacing long division
Long division is the method children most often switch off from, so short sheets matter. Twenty-four questions is already a full lesson; if a class is new to the method, print 20 and let the last few be a discussion rather than independent work.
A useful sequence is a grid method sheet for the multiplication it depends on, then a short division sheet with one-digit divisors, then long division. Each step reuses the previous one, and the answer pages make all three quick to mark.
A worked example: 432 ÷ 12
Twelve goes into 43 three times, because 3 × 12 = 36. Write the 3 above the 3, subtract 36 from 43 to leave 7, and bring down the 2 to make 72. Twelve goes into 72 six times exactly, so the quotient is 36 with nothing left over. The two ruled lines under the frame are exactly the space those two subtraction steps need.
How to use it
How to use this generator
- Choose Long division; the frame and working lines are applied automatically.
- Set Year to 5 for smaller divisors or 6 for the full range.
- Choose 24 questions — 30 makes the working lines very tight.
- Generate and print; page 2 is the answer key.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
At what age is long division usually taught?
Most schools introduce it in upper Key Stage 2, once short division and times tables are secure. The generator does not enforce an age; choose Year 5 or 6 for the larger divisors.
Why does long division need more space than short division?
Because the subtraction steps are written down instead of being kept in the head. Each step needs a line under the dividend, and without that space children lose track of which digits they have used.
What if the divisor does not go into the first digit?
Take the first two digits instead, and write the first quotient digit above the second digit. That is normal, not a mistake.
Can I print long division with remainders?
Yes. Set Division gives whole numbers to No, and answers will show a remainder after the quotient.
Should children list the multiples of the divisor first?
Many teachers encourage it: writing 12, 24, 36, 48 up the side makes the multiplication step quick and reduces errors. The sheet does not include a multiples strip, so children can jot them in the margin.
Is long division on the Year 6 arithmetic paper?
This site does not reproduce past papers and is not connected to the Standards and Testing Agency. Long division is a standard upper Key Stage 2 method, and practice sheets like these are useful preparation without being exam material.
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