This week in Maths, Year 4 have been using flexible partitioning to help them to divide 2 and 3-digit numbers. We have learnt that it is not always efficient to partition numbers into their hundreds, tens and ones but actually it is better to partition into numbers that are multiples of the number we are dividing. 

I asked the children – Why is it not efficient to partition 56 into 50 and 6 when dividing by 4?

Shrish: because 50 and 6 are not in the 4 times tables. It would be better to partition the numbers in 40 and 16 because they are both in the 4 times tables.

Here are some photographs of the children using this method in their Maths lessons to help them to divide larger 2 and 3-digit numbers. 

The children have really impressed me with how well they have applied their learning into their independent work in their books. They have really used their knowledge about flexible partitioning to help them to partition the numbers into easier divisible parts.

Very well done Year 4.