Games, Ideas and Activities for Primary Mathematics, 2nd Edition

Chapter 5

Division

Digital roots

Digital roots is an activity to help children improve their division, reasoning and explanation skills.

Suitable for

KS2

Aims

• To divide a range of 2-digit numbers by a 1-digit number.
• To refine pencil-and-paper methods.

Players

• This is an activity for two players

Resources

• Two sets of 1–9 digit cards
• Paper and pencils
• Calculator

What to do

• Give each pair a set of 1–9 digit cards.
• Players shuffle the cards and then take two to make a 2-digit number. For example, 59.
• Players then find the digital root of this number. For example, 5 + 9 = 14, 1 + 4 = 5.
• When the digital root has been found, players then divide 59 by this number. So, 59 ÷ 5 = 11 remainder 4 or remainder .
• Play continues like this and ...