What is a chunking method in maths?

Answer 1

Chunking is used to do division by repeatedly removing "chunks" of the divisor from the dividend. The amount of the divisor in each chunk removed is totalled to give the quotient.

For example, to divide 27 by 3.

If someone does not know the 3 times table completely (for instance they only know it as far as 3 x 5 = 15), they can remove chunks of multiples they do know:

27 / 3:

3 x 5 = 15, 27 - 15 = 12

3 x 4 = 12, 12 - 12 =0

two chunks were removed, one of 5 and one of 4, so 27 / 3 = 5 + 4 = 9.

Or for much larger numbers, for example 4966 / 13

Here, much larger chunks can be removed in one go:

start with 100 x 13: 3 x 100 x 13 = 3900, 4966 - 3900 = 1066

Now use 10 x 13: 5 x 10 x 13 = 650, 1066 - 650 = 416

Again use 10 x 13: 3 x 10 x 13 = 390, 416 - 390 = 26

Now use 13: 2 x 13 = 26, 26 - 26 = 0

The chunks removed were 3 x 100, 5 x 10, 3 x 10, 2, meaning

4966 / 13 = 300 + 50 + 30 + 2 = 382.