Long division calculator
Divide step by step, with the quotient, remainder and decimal answer.
About this calculator
This long division calculator divides one whole number by another and shows every step, just as you would on paper.
It gives the quotient and remainder, the decimal answer with any repeating digits, and the result as a mixed number.
How it works
Long division works one digit at a time: divide the part of the number you have so far by the divisor, write that digit of the answer, multiply back, subtract, then bring down the next digit. What is left at the end is the remainder.
Last reviewed:
Worked example
- Dividend: 1,234
- Divisor: 7
Quotient and remainder: 176 R 2
Common questions
How do you do long division?
Divide, multiply, subtract, bring down the next digit, and repeat. The table shows every step for your numbers.
What does R mean in a division answer?
R stands for remainder, what is left over. 1234 ÷ 7 = 176 R 2, because 176 × 7 = 1232 and 1234 − 1232 = 2.
How do I turn a remainder into a decimal?
Keep dividing: add a zero to the remainder and carry on. 2 ÷ 7 gives 0.285714…, with the digits 285714 repeating.
Sources and further reading
The story behind it
Where the idea came from: Long division as taught today spread through Europe in the 1500s and 1600s, replacing the older galley method, in which digits were crossed out as the work went on.
Each step uses only multiplication and subtraction, so the method works for numbers of any size. Computers divide in a similar way, one binary digit at a time.
Why you can trust this calculator
- It runs in your browser. Nothing you type into it is sent anywhere.
- The method is explained on this page, so you can check it yourself.
- Free to use, with no sign-up.
- Results are estimates, so please double-check anything important.
- Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we'll look into it.
After 15 years as a mathematics educator, I built CalculStore to give students, teachers, professionals and anyone working with numbers simple, reliable tools.
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