Twenty-four sweets, four children, and everyone wants a fair share. How many sweets does each child get? And here is the trickier question: which times-table fact could help you work it out in your head?

The interactive shows the same 24 counters divided by 4 in two different ways, then links it to a times fact. Look at how the counters are arranged in each display, and keep an eye on the answer.

Now we work through four divisions on the board, one at a time. A pupil deals the counters into equal groups for the first share, we agree the answer, then the board moves on to the next share. The four we will do are: 15 into 3 groups, then 24 into 4 groups, then 35 into 5 groups, and finally 48 into 6 groups. Each time, once the groups are full, we say the matching times-table fact aloud before we agree the answer. While a classmate is dealing at the board, give a thumbs up when you agree the groups are equal.

Now we practise on fresh numbers. We work through these shares together, one at a time: 18 into 2 groups, then 28 into 4 groups, then 40 into 5 groups, and finally 54 into 6 groups. Deal the counters, check the answer, and say the matching times fact for each one.