My child knows the tables but long multiplication goes wrong. Why?

Usually one step of the method is slipping, most often the carry or the place of the second row, rather than the facts. Find the step by working one example slowly beside them before drilling more.

What is a remainder for?

It is what is left when the division does not come out exactly: 47 ÷ 5 is 9 remainder 2. In grade 5 the same leftover becomes a fraction or a decimal.

Ages 9-10

Grade 4 math

Grade 4 takes the facts from grade 3 and builds the big written methods on them: long multiplication, short division with remainders, and the first decimals.

What grade 4 usually covers

An ordinary elementary scope and sequence, the one the sets here follow. Schools differ by a few months either way.

Place value to a million

Reading, writing, comparing and rounding large numbers. Each place is ten times the one to its right, which is the rule that makes decimals work next.

Multi-digit multiplication

A number up to four digits by one digit, and two digits by two digits, by partial products and by the column method.

Division with remainders

Short division of a number up to four digits by one digit, interpreting the remainder in a word problem, and factors, multiples, primes and composites.

Fractions

Equivalent fractions by multiplying or dividing top and bottom, comparing with a common denominator, adding and subtracting with the same denominator, and a fraction times a whole number.

Decimals, angles and measuring

Tenths and hundredths as decimals and as fractions, comparing decimals, measuring and drawing angles, converting units, and area and perimeter formulas.

Practice for grade 4

The set below is on the grades 3–4 band. Multiplying and dividing are the skills to keep sharp; the fractions and decimals pages carry the rest of the year.

Work it out.

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Ten questions at a time, marked as you go. Pick a skill above and start; nothing to sign up for, and the set works offline once the page has loaded.

Pages for this grade

Each has the method written out, worked examples, the facts worth knowing and ten practice questions with answers.

Grades 2–4Multiplication34 × 6Equal groups, arrays, and written multiplication. Grades 3–5Division852 ÷ 4Sharing and grouping, short division and remainders. Grades 3–5Fractions3/4 + 1/8Equivalent fractions, adding, comparing, and parts of amounts. Grades 4–5Decimals4.75 + 2.6Tenths and hundredths, comparing, and lining up the point. Grades K–2Place value300 + 40 + 7Ones, tens, hundreds and what each digit is worth.

Common questions

My child knows the tables but long multiplication goes wrong. Why?: Usually one step of the method is slipping, most often the carry or the place of the second row, rather than the facts. Find the step by working one example slowly beside them before drilling more.
What is a remainder for?: It is what is left when the division does not come out exactly: 47 ÷ 5 is 9 remainder 2. In grade 5 the same leftover becomes a fraction or a decimal.

Other grades

Ages 5-6Kindergartencounting, numbers to 20, adding and taking away within 10. Ages 6-7Grade 1addition and subtraction within 20, tens and ones, comparing. Ages 7-8Grade 2facts to 20 by heart, hundreds, tens and ones, column addition and subtraction. Ages 8-9Grade 3multiplication and division facts, written adding and subtracting to 1,000, fractions as numbers. Ages 10-11Grade 5decimals, fractions with different denominators, multiplication and division.