What is a division fact family?

A division fact family is a set or group of related math facts that use the same three numbers. Division fact families also include multiplication, which is the inverse or opposite operation from division. For example, using the fact family of 2, 6, and 12 you would have four related equations: 12 ÷ 6 = 2, 12 ÷ 2 = 6 and 2 x 6 or 6 x 2 = 12. Fact families are a way that students can learn the relationship between multiplication and division.

Multiplication and division charts actually have the same basic layout since they represent inverse operations, except that the division chart lacks a 0 column because division by 0 is undefined.

To use the chart for multiplication, locate the product at the intersection of the row and column for the two numbers you want to multiply. For division, start by finding the divisor on the top row, then scan down to find the dividend, and the quotient will be indicated by the row number along the left side. For example, to divide 32 by 8, find 8 along the top, trace down to 32, and then move left to find the answer, 4.