Britannica Sources used in this answer

Which number is called the divisor in a division problem?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

arithmetic A page from a first-grade workbook typical of “new math” might state: “Draw connecting lines from triangles in the first set to triangles in the second set. Are the two sets equivalent in number?”

In a division problem, the divisor is the number by which a dividend is divided.1

For example, in the expression $10 \div 2 = 5$ , the number $2$ is the divisor, while $10$ is the dividend and $5$ is the quotient. This terminology remains consistent across various mathematical contexts, including synthetic division, where the divisor is used to divide a polynomial.2