Knowing the method is one thing. Watching it work on a real problem is another. This page walks through five complete long division examples — each one a little more demanding than the last. Every step is explained in text, and each example shows the working exactly as you would write it on paper.
If you want a refresher on the method before diving in, read How To Do Long Division first, then come back here for the practice.
The Four Steps to Remember
Every long division problem uses the same four steps, repeated until you run out of digits: Divide → Multiply → Subtract → Bring Down.
In the worked examples below, the steps are listed on the left. The bracket diagram on the right shows the same working as it would appear on paper — using the same colours as the CalcStep calculator: green for quotient digits and remainders, blue for digits brought down, and grey for values being subtracted.
Example 1 — 78 ÷ 6
A clean 2-digit ÷ 1-digit problem with no remainder.
1 above the 7.3.| 1 | 3 | |
| 7 | 8 | |
| − | 6 | |
| 1 | 8 | |
| − | 1 | 8 |
| 0 |
Check: 13 × 6 = 78 ✓
Example 2 — 95 ÷ 4
This one produces a remainder. The method is identical — you stop when there are no more digits to bring down and whatever is left becomes the remainder.
2.3.| 2 | 3 | |
| 9 | 5 | |
| − | 8 | |
| 1 | 5 | |
| − | 1 | 2 |
| 3 |
Check: (23 × 4) + 3 = 92 + 3 = 95 ✓
For a deeper look at what remainders mean and how to express them as fractions or decimals, see Understanding Remainders.
Example 3 — 144 ÷ 6
A 3-digit dividend. The process is exactly the same — you just have one more digit to work through.
2 above the second digit.4.| 2 | 4 | ||
| 1 | 4 | 4 | |
| − | 1 | 2 | |
| 2 | 4 | ||
| − | 2 | 4 | |
| 0 |
Check: 24 × 6 = 144 ✓
Example 4 — 375 ÷ 15
Now a 2-digit divisor. The process doesn't change — you just need a little more care when estimating how many times it fits.
2.5.| 2 | 5 | ||
| 3 | 7 | 5 | |
| − | 3 | 0 | |
| 7 | 5 | ||
| − | 7 | 5 | |
| 0 |
Check: 25 × 15 = 375 ✓
Example 5 — 847 ÷ 12
The final example combines a 2-digit divisor, a remainder, and the most common mistake students make: a position where you must write a zero in the quotient.
7.0 in the quotient. The 7 is the remainder.| 7 | 0 | ||
| 8 | 4 | 7 | |
| − | 8 | 4 | |
| 0 | 7 | ||
| − | 0 | 0 | |
| 7 |
Check: (70 × 12) + 7 = 840 + 7 = 847 ✓
That zero in the quotient is the single most common place students lose marks. Skipping it shifts every following digit one place to the left and gives a completely wrong answer. If the current working number is smaller than the divisor, 0 goes in the quotient — always.
For a deeper walkthrough of how to continue the process and turn remainders into decimal digits, read our guide to long division with decimals.
How to Check Any Long Division Answer
The same check works every time: multiply the quotient by the divisor, then add the remainder. If you arrive back at the original dividend, the answer is correct.
Example 5: (70 × 12) + 7 = 840 + 7 = 847 ✓
Get into the habit of checking every answer. It takes ten seconds and catches most errors before they cost marks.
Want to check your own division answers instantly?
Try the Division Calculator →Common Mistakes to Avoid
Skipping the zero in the quotient. Example 5 shows this exactly. Whenever the current working number is smaller than the divisor, a zero goes in that position — no exceptions.
Subtraction errors. Most long division mistakes trace back to a subtraction step, not the division itself. Double-check each one as you go rather than at the end.
Misaligned columns. Each quotient digit sits directly above the last digit of the working number you just divided into. Use squared paper if alignment is a consistent problem — it eliminates one source of error entirely.
Guessing the quotient digit too high. If your estimate is too large, the multiplication result will exceed the current working number and you can't subtract it. Drop down by one and try again.
If you also need to handle problems that mix division with other operations, Order of Operations with Division explains exactly where division fits in the sequence. And for a quick way to predict whether a number divides evenly before you start, the Divisibility Rules guide covers every common divisor.