Division Word Problems (Grade 3)
Division word problems describe real-life situations where you need to share equally or make equal groups. Reading the problem carefully and identifying the total, the number of groups (or the group size) is the key skill.
In Class 3, division word problems may or may not have a remainder. You must write a complete answer with the correct unit.
What is Division Word Problems - Class 3 Maths (Division)?
A division word problem gives you a total and asks you to split it into equal parts. You divide to find either:
- How many items each person gets (sharing), OR
- How many groups can be made (grouping).
Total ÷ Number of groups = Items per group
Total ÷ Items per group = Number of groups
Solved Examples
Example 1: Equal Sharing
Question: Meera has 36 sweets. She shares them equally among 9 friends. How many sweets does each friend get?
Think:
- Total = 36, friends = 9
- 36 ÷ 9 = 4
Answer: Each friend gets 4 sweets.
Example 2: Equal Grouping
Question: Aman has 42 books. He puts 7 books on each shelf. How many shelves does he need?
Think:
- Total = 42, books per shelf = 7
- 42 ÷ 7 = 6
Answer: Aman needs 6 shelves.
Example 3: Money Problem
Question: Priya has ₹45. Each toy costs ₹5. How many toys can she buy?
Think:
- Total money = ₹45, cost per toy = ₹5
- 45 ÷ 5 = 9
Answer: Priya can buy 9 toys.
Example 4: With Remainder
Question: Dev has 25 stickers. He gives 4 to each friend. How many friends get stickers? How many are left?
Think:
- 25 ÷ 4 = 6 remainder 1
- 6 friends get 4 stickers each, 1 sticker is left.
Answer: 6 friends get stickers. 1 sticker is left.
Example 5: Transport Problem
Question: 32 students go on a trip. Each auto-rickshaw carries 3 students. How many autos are needed?
Think:
- 32 ÷ 3 = 10 remainder 2
- 10 autos carry 30 students. 2 students still need a ride.
- They need 1 more auto → total = 11 autos.
Answer: 11 auto-rickshaws are needed.
Example 6: Time Problem
Question: Neha practises piano for 28 minutes. Each song takes 4 minutes. How many songs does she play?
Think:
- 28 ÷ 4 = 7
Answer: Neha plays 7 songs.
Example 7: Weight Problem
Question: A bag of rice weighs 30 kg. It is packed into smaller bags of 5 kg each. How many small bags are made?
Think:
- 30 ÷ 5 = 6
Answer: 6 small bags are made.
Example 8: Multi-step Problem
Question: Aditi has 50 beads. She uses 8 to make a bracelet. She also gives 10 to her sister. From the remaining, she makes necklaces using 4 beads each. How many necklaces?
Think:
- Beads left after giving: 50 − 8 − 10 = 32
- Necklaces = 32 ÷ 4 = 8
Answer: Aditi makes 8 necklaces.
Example 9: Cricket Problem
Question: A cricket club has 54 players. Teams of 9 are formed. How many teams?
Think:
- 54 ÷ 9 = 6
Answer: 6 teams are formed.
Real-World Applications
Where do we use division word problems?
- Sharing food, money, or items equally among friends.
- Packing items into boxes, bags, or trays.
- Finding how many trips, teams, or groups are needed.
- Calculating cost per item when you know the total cost.
Key Points to Remember
- Read the problem twice. Underline the total and what you are dividing by.
- Decide: Are you sharing or grouping?
- Look for clue words: share equally, distribute, each, per, split, how many groups.
- If there is a remainder, think about what it means in context (extra students may need one more auto).
- Always write the answer with the correct unit (sweets, bags, teams, etc.).
- Check: Quotient × Divisor + Remainder = Dividend.
Practice Problems
- Rahul has 48 mangoes. He gives 8 to each friend. How many friends get mangoes?
- A ribbon is 63 cm long. It is cut into 7 equal pieces. How long is each piece?
- Ria has ₹40. Each pencil costs ₹6. How many pencils can she buy? How much money is left?
- 35 students sit in rows of 6. How many full rows? How many students in the last row?
- Kavi bakes 27 cookies. He puts 4 in each box. How many full boxes? How many cookies left?
- A bus can carry 8 passengers. How many buses are needed for 50 passengers?
- Meera reads 56 pages in a week. How many pages does she read each day?
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. How do I know a word problem needs division?
If the problem talks about sharing equally, splitting into groups, or finding how many groups, you divide. Words like "each", "per", "equally", "share" are clues.
Q2. What do I do with the remainder in a word problem?
It depends on the situation. If packing boxes, the remainder tells you leftover items. If arranging transport, you need one extra vehicle for the remaining people.
Q3. How is a division word problem different from multiplication?
Multiplication finds the total from groups and group size. Division does the opposite — it finds the group size or the number of groups from the total.
Q4. Can a division word problem have two steps?
Yes. You may need to add or subtract first, then divide. Read the full problem before starting.
Q5. Should I always write the remainder?
Yes, if the division is not exact. Write: Quotient = ___, Remainder = ___. In a word problem, explain what the remainder means.
Q6. What units should I write in the answer?
Use the same units as the problem — sweets, rupees, metres, students, etc. Never leave the answer as just a number.
Q7. How can I check my answer?
Multiply the quotient by the divisor and add the remainder. If you get the dividend, your answer is correct.
Q8. Are division word problems part of NCERT Class 3?
Yes. NCERT Class 3 Maths includes many word problems on division — both exact division and division with remainder.
