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Maths Adventures

Arctic maths quest: division

A story-led junior maths adventure using ice maps, temperature and survival supplies to share rewards fairly and split teams into equal groups.

Quick answer

Division means sharing things equally into groups. You can use division to split your team into equal groups, share food fairly, or work out how many items each person gets.

Learning outcome

By the end of this page, you will be able to share items equally into groups and solve simple division problems using pictures, objects, and real-life examples. Success signs:
  • You can split a number of items into equal groups
  • You can use division to find how many items each person gets
  • You can explain what division means using real-life examples
  • You can solve simple division problems with pictures or objects

Why this matters

Division helps us share things fairly, which is important in many situations. Whether you're splitting snacks with friends, dividing a team for a game, or sharing supplies in a survival situation, knowing how to divide helps you be fair and solve problems. In the Arctic maths quest, you’ll use division to split supplies, share rewards, and organize teams so everyone gets a fair chance to survive and succeed.

How it works

Division is about splitting things into equal parts. When you divide, you are sharing items so that each group or person gets the same amount. Here's how it works step by step:
  1. Start with a total number of items – like 12 cookies
  2. Decide how many groups you want – like 3 teams
  3. Share the items equally – each team gets 4 cookies
  4. Write the division sentence – 12 ÷ 3 = 4
You can also think of division as the opposite of multiplication. If you know that 3 × 4 = 12, then 12 ÷ 3 = 4.

Examples you can see

Let’s imagine you are on an Arctic maths quest with your team. You’ve found 18 snowballs to use as supplies for your journey. You have 6 team members, so you need to divide the snowballs equally. Step-by-step:
  1. You have 18 snowballs
  2. You have 6 team members
  3. You share 18 snowballs equally between 6 people
  4. Each person gets 3 snowballs
This is the division sentence: 18 ÷ 6 = 3 Another example: You have 20 ice cubes to melt for water. You want to split them equally among 4 people. How many ice cubes does each person get?
  1. You have 20 ice cubes
  2. You split them into 4 groups
  3. Each group gets 5 ice cubes
  4. So, 20 ÷ 4 = 5
You can also use arrays or pictures to show division. For example, draw 12 stars and group them into 3 rows of 4 stars each. This shows that 12 ÷ 3 = 4.

Try it as a mini adventure

Arctic Maths Quest: Sharing Supplies You are part of a team of 5 explorers on a mission to find the lost Ice Crystal. You’ve found a treasure chest with 25 ice crystals. You need to divide them equally among your team so everyone gets the same amount. Adventure steps:
  1. You have 25 ice crystals
  2. Your team has 5 people
  3. How many crystals does each person get?
  4. Draw 25 crystals and split them into 5 equal groups
  5. Count how many crystals are in each group
Answer: Each person gets 5 crystals. 25 ÷ 5 = 5 Now try this challenge: You have 30 snowflakes and 6 explorers. How many snowflakes does each explorer get?
  1. 30 snowflakes
  2. 6 explorers
  3. How many snowflakes per explorer?
  4. Split 30 into 6 equal groups
  5. Each explorer gets 5 snowflakes
Answer: 30 ÷ 6 = 5

Common mistakes

  • Mistake: Thinking that 10 ÷ 2 = 5 and 10 ÷ 5 = 2, but not understanding what division means.
    Why it happens: Confusing multiplication and division facts.
    Fix: Use objects or drawings to show what 10 ÷ 2 really means – sharing 10 items into 2 equal groups.
  • Mistake: Forgetting that any number divided by 1 equals itself.
    Why it happens: Not thinking about what happens when you split something into just 1 group.
    Fix: Try it with objects – if you have 8 snowballs and split them into 1 group, you still have 8 snowballs.
  • Mistake: Not knowing that 0 divided by any number (except 0) equals 0.
    Why it happens: Confusing what happens when there are no items to share.
    Fix: Think of it like this: if you have 0 cookies and 5 friends, each friend gets 0 cookies.

Parent and carer guide

Parents and carers can help by using everyday examples to teach division. Here are 5 simple ways to support your child:
  1. Use real objects: Give your child 12 toy blocks and ask them to split them into 3 equal groups. Count together how many are in each group.
  2. Play sharing games: When sharing snacks, ask your child to divide 10 cookies among 2 people, or 15 stickers among 3 friends.
  3. Ask questions: Ask your child to explain how they shared something. For example, “How did you split the apples?”
  4. Use pictures: Draw 18 stars and ask your child to split them into 6 groups. This helps them visualize division.
  5. Be patient: It's okay if they need time to figure out how to share items. Let them try and make mistakes – that's how they learn!

Practice questions

  1. There are 12 ice cubes and 4 explorers. How many ice cubes does each explorer get? Answer: 3
  2. 15 snowflakes are shared among 3 friends. How many snowflakes does each friend get? Answer: 5
  3. 24 pieces of food are divided among 6 team members. How many pieces does each member get? Answer: 4
  4. There are 20 snowballs and 5 teams. How many snowballs does each team get? Answer: 4
  5. 18 berries are shared among 2 people. How many berries does each person get? Answer: 9
  6. 30 ice crystals are shared among 10 people. How many crystals does each person get? Answer: 3
  7. There are 35 snowballs and 7 groups. How many snowballs are in each group? Answer: 5
  8. 28 pieces of food are divided among 4 teams. How many pieces does each team get? Answer: 7
  9. There are 40 ice cubes and 8 explorers. How many ice cubes does each explorer get? Answer: 5
  10. There are 14 snowflakes and 2 teams. How many snowflakes does each team get? Answer: 7

FAQ

What does division mean?

Division means sharing things equally into groups. For example, if you have 12 apples and want to share them among 3 friends, each friend gets 4 apples. This is written as 12 ÷ 3 = 4.

How is division related to multiplication?

Division and multiplication are opposites. If you know that 3 × 4 = 12, then you also know that 12 ÷ 3 = 4 and 12 ÷ 4 = 3.

Can you divide by zero?

No, you cannot divide by zero. It’s not possible to split something into zero groups. For example, 5 ÷ 0 is not a valid calculation.

How can I practice division at home?

You can practice by sharing snacks, dividing toys, or using drawings to split items into equal groups. Try asking questions like, “If you have 10 cookies and 2 friends, how many cookies does each friend get?”

Why is learning division important?

Division helps you share fairly, solve problems, and understand how things are split into equal parts. It’s useful in everyday life, games, and science!