Grade 3 Long Division: 3-Digit Long Division

Extend your skills to larger numbers

What You'll Learn

Apply long division steps to 3-digit dividends
Handle multiple bring-down steps
Maintain accuracy with larger numbers

With 3-digit numbers, we just repeat the DMSB steps more times. The process is exactly the same - just more steps!

💡

Take your time and stay organized. Line up your numbers carefully!

💡Where this fits

Common Core teaches dividing 3-digit numbers by a 1-digit number in grade 4 (4.NBT.B.6), so this lesson is a stretch for this grade. Grade 3 divides within 100 (3.OA.C.7). Try this once 2-digit long division feels easy.

Worked examples

Real problems from the practice worksheets, solved one step at a time.

Example 1
177 ÷ 3 = ?
1. Use the partial quotients method.
2. How many 3s can you subtract from 177?
3. 3 × 50 = 150
4. 3 × 5 = 15
5. 3 × 2 = 6
6. 3 × 2 = 6
7. Add the quotients: 50 + 5 + 2 + 2 = 59
8. 177 ÷ 3 = 59
Answer: 59
Example 2
792 ÷ 8 = ?
1. Use the partial quotients method.
2. How many 8s can you subtract from 792?
3. 8 × 50 = 400
4. 8 × 20 = 160
5. 8 × 20 = 160
6. 8 × 5 = 40
7. 8 × 2 = 16
8. 8 × 2 = 16
9. Add the quotients: 50 + 20 + 20 + 5 + 2 + 2 = 99
10. 792 ÷ 8 = 99
Answer: 99
Example 3
312 ÷ 4 = ?
1. Use the partial quotients method.
2. How many 4s can you subtract from 312?
3. 4 × 50 = 200
4. 4 × 20 = 80
5. 4 × 5 = 20
6. 4 × 2 = 8
7. 4 × 1 = 4
8. Add the quotients: 50 + 20 + 5 + 2 + 1 = 78
9. 312 ÷ 4 = 78
Answer: 78