NCERT Class 5 Maths · Chapter 9

Coconut Farm

Division made easy: division facts, dividing by 10s and 100s, mental tricks, long division, and remainders.

📌 What you’ll learn in this chapter
  • How multiplication and division are linked (fact families)
  • Dividing numbers ending in zeros
  • Mental strategies: splitting, rounding, and repeated halving
  • Long division (step by step), with and without remainders
  • Checking with Dividend = Divisor × Quotient + Remainder

🥥 Let’s Begin: Sharing Coconuts

Appu’s grandfather plucked 48 coconuts. “Share them equally among your 4 cousins,” he said. Appu gave one coconut to each cousin, round after round, until none were left. Each cousin got 12.

Grandfather smiled. “You could have just done 48 ÷ 4!”

🔗 Part 1: Multiplication and Division are Partners

Arrange 24 coconuts in 4 rows of 6. From this one picture we get a whole family of facts:

4 × 6 = 24 → 24 ÷ 4 = 6 → 24 ÷ 6 = 4

Dividend (N)Divisor (D)Quotient (Q)
The number being shared (24)The number of groups (4)How many in each group (6)
💡 Quick facts Any number ÷ 1 = the same number (35 ÷ 1 = 35). Any number ÷ itself = 1 (35 ÷ 35 = 1).

0️⃣ Part 2: Dividing Numbers with Zeros

Cancel the same number of zeros from both numbers, then divide.

  • 600 ÷ 20 → 60 ÷ 2 = 30
  • 4,500 ÷ 500 → 45 ÷ 5 = 9
  • 7,200 ÷ 9 → 72 ÷ 9 = 8, then put the 2 zeros back → 800

Pattern: 36 ÷ 36 = 1 · 360 ÷ 36 = 10 · 3,600 ÷ 36 = 100. When the dividend becomes 10 times bigger, the quotient also becomes 10 times bigger.

🧠 Part 3: Mental Tricks for Division

A. Split into friendly parts

84 ÷ 4 → 80 ÷ 4 + 4 ÷ 4 = 20 + 1 = 21
1,545 ÷ 5 → 1,500 ÷ 5 + 45 ÷ 5 = 300 + 9 = 309

B. Round up, then take away

594 ÷ 6 → 600 ÷ 6 = 100. But 594 is 6 less, so take 1 away → 99

C. Repeated halving

To divide by 4, halve twice. To divide by 8, halve three times.
240 ÷ 8 → 120 → 60 → 30

📝 Part 4: Long Division, Step by Step

Method 1: Taking away big chunks

Example: A farmer packs 918 coconuts in sacks of 6. How many sacks?

Take away 100 sixes (600) → 318 left
Take away 50 sixes (300) → 18 left
Take away 3 sixes (18) → 0 left
Total sixes = 100 + 50 + 3 = 153 sacks

Method 2: Place value (standard method)

Divide → Multiply → Subtract → Bring down (remember it as D-M-S-B)

Example: 875 ÷ 7

  • Hundreds: 8 ÷ 7 = 1, and 7 × 1 = 7. 8 − 7 = 1. Bring down 7 → 17
  • Tens: 17 ÷ 7 = 2, and 7 × 2 = 14. 17 − 14 = 3. Bring down 5 → 35
  • Ones: 35 ÷ 7 = 5, and 7 × 5 = 35. 35 − 35 = 0

875 ÷ 7 = 125

⚠️ Don’t forget the zero! 612 ÷ 6: 6 ÷ 6 = 1. Bring down 1: 1 ÷ 6 = 0 (write 0 in the quotient!). Bring down 2: 12 ÷ 6 = 2.
Answer = 102, not 12 ❌

Remainders

Sometimes things don’t share out exactly. 50 laddoos for 8 children: 8 × 6 = 48, so each gets 6, and 2 are left over (remainder).

Dividend = Divisor × Quotient + Remainder
50 = 8 × 6 + 2 ✅

The remainder must always be smaller than the divisor.

What to do with the remainder?

  • Round up: 130 people, 40 per bus → 3 buses carry 120, so you need 4 buses for the 10 extra.
  • Leave it: ₹130 buys how many ₹40 pens? Only 3 (₹10 left over).

🔍 Part 5: How Many Digits Will the Answer Have?

Look at the first digit(s) of the dividend. 7,032 ÷ 6: 7 ≥ 6, so the answer starts in the thousands place → 4-digit answer (1,172). 2,874 ÷ 14: 2 < 14, but 28 ≥ 14, so the answer starts in the hundreds place → 3-digit answer (205).

❌ Common Mistakes to Avoid

Missing zeros in the quotient
✅ If you can’t divide after bringing down, write 0.
Remainder bigger than the divisor
✅ Then you can divide once more.
Not checking
✅ D × Q + R should give back N.
Ignoring the remainder in word problems
✅ Think: round up, or leave it out?

✏️ Practice Time

Try these on your own first, then check your answer below each question.

Q1. Write two division facts from 9 × 8 = 72.
✅ Answer72 ÷ 9 = 8 and 72 ÷ 8 = 9
Q2. 5,600 ÷ 70 = ?
✅ Answer560 ÷ 7 = 80
Q3. Use splitting: 636 ÷ 6
✅ Answer600 ÷ 6 + 36 ÷ 6 = 100 + 6 = 106
Q4. 983 ÷ 4. Find the quotient and remainder, then check.
✅ AnswerQ = 245, R = 3. Check: 4 × 245 + 3 = 980 + 3 = 983 ✅
Q5. 1,000 notebooks are packed 24 to a box. How many boxes are needed?
✅ Answer1,000 ÷ 24 = 41 remainder 16. You need 42 boxes (the last box has 16).
Q6. A shopkeeper earned ₹3,360 selling coconut oil at ₹210 per litre. How many litres did he sell?
✅ Answer3,360 ÷ 210 = 16 litres (check: 210 × 16 = 3,360)
Q7. 4,025 ÷ 5 = ?
✅ Answer805. Don’t miss the 0 in the tens place!

📘 NCERT Textbook Activity Help

Hints and answers for the activities in the textbook, page by page. Try each one yourself before looking at the answer!

Page 119 · Arrays

Division facts

✅ Answer35 ÷ 1 = 35. For the second array (4 rows of 7): 4 × 7 = 28, 28 ÷ 4 = 7, 28 ÷ 7 = 4. Count the rows and columns in your book to confirm.
Page 120 · Let Us Play and Let Us Do

Circles and division statements

✅ Answer Products (sample answers): 60 = 6 × 10 · 48 = 6 × 8 · 36 = 4 × 9 · 24 = 4 × 6 · 40 = 5 × 8
Quotients (sample answers): 54 = 108 ÷ 2 · 42 = 84 ÷ 2 · 56 = 112 ÷ 2 · 54 ÷ 6 = 9 · 42 ÷ 7 = 6 · 56 ÷ 8 = 7
Q1: 30 × 30 = 900 (900 ÷ 30 = 30) · 15 × 60 = 900 (900 ÷ 15 = 60, 900 ÷ 60 = 15) · 400 × 8 = 3,200 (3,200 ÷ 400 = 8, 3,200 ÷ 8 = 400) · 200 × 16 = 3,200 (3,200 ÷ 200 = 16, 3,200 ÷ 16 = 200)
Page 121 · Patterns

Division with 10s and 100s

✅ Answer 50 × 3 = 150, so 150 ÷ 3 = 50 · 80 ÷ 4 = 20 · 5 × 100 = 500, so 500 ÷ 5 = 100 · 100 ÷ 10 = 10 · 300 ÷ 100 = 3 · 500 ÷ 50 = 10 · 200 ÷ 20 = 10 · 440 ÷ 44 = 10 · 630 ÷ 63 = 10
10 × 100 = 1,000 · 37 × 100 = 3,700 · 1,000 ÷ 10 = 100 · 1,000 ÷ 100 = 10 · 1,600 ÷ 4 = 400 · 2,000 ÷ 2 = 1,000 · 2,000 ÷ 20 = 100 · 3,700 ÷ 37 = 100 · 3,300 ÷ 3 = 1,100 · 3,300 ÷ 300 = 11 · 4,000 ÷ 40 = 100
Chart: 700 ÷ 70 = 10 · 1,400 ÷ 100 = 14 · 220 ÷ 20 = 11 · 2,200 ÷ 20 = 110 · 110 ÷ 11 = 10 · 860 ÷ 86 = 10 · 7,500 ÷ 750 = 10 · 8,800 ÷ 88 = 100 · 2,400 ÷ 24 = 100 · 440 ÷ 22 = 20
Pattern: when the dividend has an extra zero, the quotient gets an extra zero.
Page 122 · Let Us Do

Cycling, notes, gifts, and puzzles

✅ Answer 1. 160 ÷ 20 = 8 km 2. 42 notes 3. ₹1,100 each. Among 10 employees, each gets less (₹550). To give each ₹1,100, he would need ₹11,000.
4. Top: 8 ÷ 4 = 2 · Left: 8 − 7 = 1 · Right: 2 × 3 = 6 · Bottom: 1 + 5 = 6. Another answer: 6 ÷ 3 = 2, 6 − 5 = 1, 2 × 4 = 8, 1 + 7 = 8. Yes, there is more than one answer.
5. (a) 1,800 (b) 6,100 (c) 7,200 (d) 1,000 (e) 10 (f) 7,000 (g) 100 (h) 10
Pages 123–124 · Mental strategies

Try It! and Let Us Solve

✅ Answer Try It: 1. 64 = 40 + 24 → 10 + 6 = 16 2. 265 = 250 + 15 → 50 + 3 = 53 3. 1,560 = 1,600 − 40 → 200 − 5 = 195 4. 4,824 = 4,800 + 24 → 200 + 1 = 201 5. 168 → 84 → 42 → 21 6. 144 → 72 → 36
Halving works for dividing by 2, 4, 8, 16 …
Let Us Solve: (a) 64 (b) 109 (c) 21 (d) 202 (e) 54 (f) 201 (g) 31 (h) 199
Examples of splitting: 848 ÷ 4 = 200 + 12 · 1,236 ÷ 6 = 200 + 6 · 963 ÷ 3 = 300 + 21 · 1,995 ÷ 5 = 400 − 1 · 728 ÷ 7 = 100 + 4
Pages 124–125 · Susie’s farm

Coconuts and bags

✅ AnswerSunitha’s way uses fewer steps because she takes away bigger chunks (90 sixes at once). Each customer gets 97 coconuts and needs 4 bags. Remaining coconuts: 535 → 22 bags.
726 ÷ 4 = 181 remainder 2 → 726 = 4 × 181 + 2 (Yes, 200 would be too big, since 4 × 200 = 800 > 726.)
902 ÷ 16 = 56 remainder 6 → 902 = 16 × 56 + 6 (the blank is 50, since 16 × 50 = 800)
Page 126 · Let Us Solve

Samosas, buses, and notes

✅ Answer 1. Packs of 6: 42 packs = 252 samosas (2 extra). Packs of 8: 32 packs = 256 (6 extra). Packs of 6 waste less. (If a pack of 8 is cheaper, that could also be a good choice.)
2. 342 ÷ 41 = 8 remainder 14 → 9 buses
3. (₹50 notes, ₹20 notes): (0, 26), (2, 21), (4, 16), (6, 11), (8, 6), (10, 1)
4. 157 + 124 + 136 = 417, and 417 ÷ 3 = ₹139 each
5. (a) 295 R 2 (b) 35 R 3 (c) 149 R 0 (d) 29 R 13 (e) 12 R 38 (f) 13 R 17
Pages 126–128 · Coconut oil and husk

Earnings and quantity

✅ Answer547 × ₹175 = ₹95,725 · Husk: 431 kg
Ibrahim: 8,890 ÷ 35 = 254 tender coconuts (200 + 50 + 4). Cost: 254 × ₹20 = ₹5,080. Extra earned: 8,890 − 5,080 = ₹3,810
Pages 128–131 · Division using place value

Let Us Divide

✅ Answer 62 ÷ 5 = 12 R 2 · 75 ÷ 8 = 9 R 3 · 324 ÷ 3 = 108 (0 in the tens place, because 2 tens can’t be shared into 3) · 136 ÷ 6 = 22 R 4
(a) 7,032 ÷ 6 = 1,172 (1,000 + 100 + 70 + 2) (b) 3,005 ÷ 5 = 601 (600 + 1) (c) 2,874 ÷ 14 = 205 R 4 (d) 9,805 ÷ 32 = 306 R 13
Number of digits: Find the place where the quotient starts. For 7,032 ÷ 6, 7 can be divided by 6, so the quotient starts at thousands and has 4 digits. For 136 ÷ 6, 1 can’t be divided by 6, but 13 can, so the quotient starts at tens and has 2 digits.
Page 131 · Let Us Do

Missing numbers

✅ Answer 4)480(120 · 3)906(302 · 20)400(20 · 50)1000(20 · 4)848(212 (or 4)868(217) · 3)936(312
Open ones (sample answers): 4)88(22 · 2)900(450 · 1)180(180 · 8)6,480(810
I am 210 (210 ÷ 5 = 42, 210 × 2 = 420)
Pages 132–133 · Let Us Solve

Shows, ice cream, and bookshelves

✅ Answer 1. (a) 475 ÷ 45 = 10 R 25 → 11 shows (b) 6 days (5 days give only 10 shows)
2. 5,000 − 400 = 4,600 g, and 4,600 ÷ 23 = 200 g each
3. 15 × 8 = 120 biscuits. 120 ÷ 6 = 20 per person. 20 ÷ 4 = 5 biscuits per day
4. (a) 1,809 R 0 (b) 258 R 2 (c) 357 R 5 (d) 593 R 5 (e) 308 R 20 (f) 312 R 18
5. A: (b) 20 (c) 40 (d) 20 (e) 10 (f) 10 · B: (b) 24 (c) 48 (d) 96 (e) 48 (f) 43 · C: (b) 32 (c) 64 (d) 16 (e) 32
6. (a) 576 ÷ 12 = 48 km per day (b) Subtract the Mumbai–Ratnagiri distance (from the map) from 576 km, then divide the rest by 4.
7. Missing information: (a) the price of a mango or a basket (b) the total number of desks (c) nothing is missing: 3,500 ÷ 5 = ₹700 (d) the price of one idli (6,250 ÷ 125 = ₹50 per plate)
8. Long panels 264 ÷ 4 = 66 · short 306 ÷ 8 = 38 · small clips 150 · large clips 120 ÷ 4 = 30 · screws 87. The large clips run out first, so only 30 bookshelves.
Page 134 · Vegetable Market

Munshi Lal’s record

✅ AnswerRadish: 26 × 78 = ₹2,028 · Potato: 2,240 ÷ 20 = 112 kg · Cabbage: 32 × 56 = ₹1,792 · Green peas: 3,125 ÷ 125 = ₹25 per kg · Total: ₹9,185
Let Us Solve: 1. 101 R 1 2. 114 R 6 3. 1,160 R 6 4. 2,331 5. 146 6. 2,336 7. 77 R 10 8. 36 R 1 9. 39 R 3 10. 272 11. 150 R 40 12. 241 R 13
Page 135 · Mathematical Statements

True, false, always, sometimes, never

✅ Answer Q1: (a) T (72 = 72) (b) F (14 ≠ 21) (c) T (16 = 16) (d) F (80 ≠ 90) (e) T (35 = 35)
Q2: (a) 25 (b) 3 (c) 7 (d) 72
Q3: (a) Always true: 3 + 5 = 8, 7 + 9 = 16, 1 + 11 = 12, 15 + 21 = 36, 25 + 3 = 28. You can’t find a false example. (b) Never true: any number × 2 is even. (c) Sometimes true: 8 → 4, 12 → 6, 20 → 10 are even, but 6 → 3, 10 → 5, 14 → 7 are odd.
Q4: Adding 10 gives a multiple of 10: Sometimes · Changing the order in subtraction makes no difference: Sometimes (only when both numbers are equal) · Doubling and halving keeps the product the same: Always · Multiplying by an odd number gives an even number: Sometimes · Multiplying by 5 gives 0 in the ones place: Sometimes (5 × 3 = 15)

👨‍👩‍👧 Tips for Parents

  • Share snacks equally among family members and talk about the leftovers (remainders).
  • Ask: “The bill is ₹480 for 4 people. How much does each person pay?”
  • Let your child check every division using multiplication.
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