TOPICS
Search

Division


Taking the ratio x/y of two numbers x and y, also written x÷y. Here, x is called the dividend, y is called the divisor, and x/y is called a quotient. The symbol "/" is called a solidus (sometimes, the "diagonal"), and the symbol "÷" is called the obelus. If left unevaluated, x/y is called a fraction, with x known as the numerator and y known as the denominator.

Division in which the fractional (remainder) is discarded is called integer division, and is sometimes denoted using a backslash, \.

Division is the inverse operation of multiplication, so that if

 a×b=c,

then a can be recovered as

 a=c÷b

as long as b!=0. In general, division by zero is not defined since the ability to "invert" a×b=c to recover a breaks down if b=0 (in which case c is always 0, independent of a).

Cutting or separating an object into two or more parts is also called division.


See also

Addition, Complex Division, Cutting, Denominator, Divide, Dividend, Division by Zero, Divisor, Integer Division, Long Division, Multiplication, Numerator, Obelus, Odds, Plane Division by Lines, Quotient, Ratio, Reciprocal, Skeleton Division, Solidus, Space Division by Spheres, Subtraction, Synthetic Division, Trial Division, Vector Division

Explore with Wolfram|Alpha

Cite this as:

Weisstein, Eric W. "Division." From MathWorld--A Wolfram Web Resource. https://mathworld.wolfram.com/Division.html

Subject classifications