Solve Division Problems

There aren't many students, teachers and parents who don't dread having to deal with long division problems. But it doesn't have to be that way. Even though most teachers use the same old, tired algorithm to teach long division, there are shortcuts and especially good ways to check the answers that those teachers should be exploring.
Calculators have been infiltrating elementary schools for years, depriving children of the experience of learning vital mental skills. There's no need for calculators for even large division problems. Certainly nothing an elementary school-age child will ever be faced with should require a calculator.
Did you know that most division problems can at least be reduced to half their size, and very often much less? Many examples, like 87,345 / 72, can be reduced to 9,705 / 8, in seconds, without even using a pencil and paper. It only takes a few seconds to learn, and a few minutes to practice.
Imagine looking at a problem like 4,028 / 128 and just "knowing" the answer without doing any "work." Some readers may already be able to do this, and if you are one of them, you should check out the other tips. They will turbo-charge your math skills!
It turns out, that after a bit of learning and practice, anyone can face a test question like:
719,973,728 / 739 =
a. 845,541 r. 432 b. 974,254 r. 22 c. 974,254 r. 21 d. 479,254 r. 22 e. none of the above
and answer it with a great deal of certainty, in about 10 seconds.
If you had to do the problem now, could you do it without just guessing? Could you prove your answer? How long would it take? Even if you were allowed to do it with a calculator, do you realize that most calculators will not give you an answer with a remainder, so a calculator would only be of limited help anyway?
On questions like the one above, anyone who can do division at all will be able to lop off many valuable minutes on tests, and be much more confident of his or her answer, by using just some common sense and a simple technique you can learn.
The techniques are not just for tests, but for everyday use as well. Figuring out bills, taxes, etc. are all made easier when you can do division confidently.
Obviously this skill is not just for students. One benefit of learning alternative mental-math methods, is that parents and students are on equal footing. The method is new for both, so they share a learning experience, instead of having a parent just teach a child. When a child feels like he or she has an equal status with the parent, the "intimidation factor" is solved, and the child doesn't have to feel stressed, and the parent doesn't have to feel like he or she has to be an expert. Everyone can relax and learn at an equal speed.
No one is truly bad at math, it's just that most people haven't been properly introduced to what math really is. It's not the school subject that districts beat their students over the head with. It's a wonderful way to explore and describe your world- your world, which you have as much right to as any mathematician.