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Grade 4 maths worksheets: written methods, fractions and decimals
Short answer
Grade 4 maths worksheets should practise written multiplication (3-digit by 1-digit, then 2-digit by 2-digit), short division with remainders, equivalent fractions and adding decimals in tenths. Every one of these relies on quick times tables recall. One sheet of 12-20 problems a day, about 15 minutes, keeps the methods accurate.
Grade 4 maths worksheets move a nine- or ten-year-old from mental facts to written methods: multiplying larger numbers, dividing with remainders, and working with fractions and tenths. In England this child is usually in Year 5, and the methods match what most UK schools teach in Years 4 and 5.
Mistakes at this level are rarely about understanding the idea. They come from a slow times table fact, a misaligned column or a forgotten carry. Good practice therefore focuses on setting work out neatly and checking it, which is what this guide covers, along with a weekly plan.
Key points
- Grade 4 (UK Year 5) practice centres on written multiplication, short division, equivalent fractions and tenths.
- Slow times tables recall is the most common hidden cause of errors in written methods.
- Teach one multiplication method well before comparing it with another.
- Ask for an estimate before every long calculation; it catches most place-value slips.
- One sheet of 12-20 problems, about 15 minutes, five days a week, is enough.
What maths does a grade 4 child practise?
The Common Core standards expect Grade 4 children to multiply numbers of up to four digits by a one-digit number and to multiply two two-digit numbers, to recognise equivalent fractions and to use decimal notation for tenths and hundredths. Home practice usually covers five calculation skills.
| Skill | Example | Answer | Key step |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2- and 3-digit × 1-digit | 243 × 6 | 1,458 | Carry tens into the next column |
| 2-digit × 2-digit | 34 × 26 | 884 | Multiply by 6, then by 20, then add |
| Short division with remainders | 157 ÷ 4 | 39 r 1 | Carry the remainder to the next digit |
| Equivalent fractions | 2/3 = ☐/12 | 8 | Multiply top and bottom by the same number |
| Adding decimals (tenths) | 2.6 + 1.8 | 4.4 | Line up the decimal points |
Why do times tables still matter in grade 4?
Every written method is a chain of table facts. In 243 × 6 the child needs 3 × 6, 4 × 6 and 2 × 6, and in 157 ÷ 4 they need to know that 4 × 9 = 36. One slow or wrong fact spoils the whole answer. The national curriculum in England expects pupils to recall multiplication and division facts up to 12 × 12 by the end of Year 4, and the statutory multiplication tables check tests this in June of Year 4.
If your child pauses over 7 × 8 or 6 × 9, spend two or three minutes a day on those facts alongside the written work. Our guide to practising times tables at home has a routine for the stubborn ones.
Grid method or column method: which should my child use?
Both give the same answer; the difference is how much is written down. Most schools start with the grid method, because it shows where each part comes from, and then move to the column method, which is faster. Ask the class teacher which one is in use and practise that one, since mixing methods early causes confusion.
| Grid method | Column method | |
|---|---|---|
| Working | 30 × 20 = 600, 30 × 6 = 180, 4 × 20 = 80, 4 × 6 = 24 | 34 × 6 = 204, then 34 × 20 = 680 |
| Final step | 600 + 180 + 80 + 24 = 884 | 204 + 680 = 884 |
| Strength | Shows place value clearly | Quicker, less writing |
| Common slip | Forgetting one of the four parts | Forgetting the zero when multiplying by 20 |
How do you set out short division with remainders?
Short division, sometimes called the bus stop method, works from left to right. Talk your child through 157 ÷ 4 using these steps:
- 4 into 1 does not go, so look at 15 instead.
- 4 into 15 goes 3 times (12), with 3 left over; write 3 above the 5 and carry the 3 next to the 7, making 37.
- 4 into 37 goes 9 times (36), with 1 left over; write 9 above the 7.
- The answer is 39 remainder 1. Check it: 39 × 4 = 156, and 156 + 1 = 157.
- If the remainder is ever bigger than the divisor, the step above it was too small; try one more.
Practise this with a 12-week pack
Grade 4 (Year 5): 60 dated sheets with your child’s name, levelled by a quick check, with weekly answer keys. €19 once.
How do you explain equivalent fractions and tenths?
Fold a strip of paper in half, then in half again. One half covers the same length as two quarters, so 1/2 = 2/4. On paper the rule is to multiply or divide the top and bottom numbers by the same amount: 3/4 = 6/8 because both numbers were doubled. Ask 'what did you do to the bottom number?' rather than giving the rule.
For tenths, link fractions and decimals directly: 0.7 is seven tenths. The classic error is 0.7 + 0.5 = 0.12. Ask how many tenths there are altogether: 12 tenths, which is one whole and two tenths, so 1.2. A ruler marked in centimetres and millimetres makes a good number line for this.
What does a grade 4 practice week look like?
Older children manage a slightly longer session, but 15 minutes of careful work is still better than 30 minutes of rushing. Here is a typical week when the focus is short division.
Notice that multiplication and fractions do not disappear during the division week. Rohrer and Taylor (2007) found that shuffling problem types led to better later test scores than practising one type in a block, partly because children must choose the right method each time. Our article on spiral review explains how to plan this.
| Day | Focus problems | Review problems | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | No remainders: 84 ÷ 4 | 3-digit × 1-digit | 12 min |
| Tuesday | Simple remainders: 59 ÷ 5 | Times tables 6-9 | 12 min |
| Wednesday | Carrying a remainder: 157 ÷ 4 | Equivalent fractions | 15 min |
| Thursday | 3-digit divided by larger divisors: 263 ÷ 7 | 2-digit × 2-digit | 15 min |
| Friday | Mixed, slightly harder | Mixed review, including tenths | 15 min |
What should you check when marking grade 4 work?
Look at the working, not just the answer, because the same wrong answer can come from very different slips.
- Estimate first: 34 × 26 is about 30 × 25 = 750, so 884 is reasonable and 284 is not.
- Column alignment: digits drifting out of line cause many place-value errors.
- Carries: small carried digits should be written, not held in the head.
- Remainders: a remainder must be smaller than the number you are dividing by.
- Decimal points: in 2.6 + 1.8 the points sit directly under one another.
Questions
Is Grade 4 the same as Year 4 in the UK?
No. US Grade 4 children are usually nine to ten years old, matching Year 5 in England. The written methods overlap with both Year 4 and Year 5 in the English curriculum. A Year 4 child who has finished the multiplication tables check and is comfortable with 3-digit by 1-digit multiplication will be fine with grade 4 worksheets.
Should my child use a calculator for grade 4 maths?
Not for the practice itself. The aim is to make written methods and table recall automatic, which a calculator bypasses. A calculator is useful afterwards, for the child to check their own answers to a few problems. That turns checking into part of the routine and shows them where a slip happened without you having to point it out.
What is the difference between short and long division?
Both divide in the same order, digit by digit. In short division, remainders are carried mentally or as a small digit beside the next number. In long division, each subtraction is written out underneath. Short division suits one-digit divisors, which is the grade 4 focus; long division is normally introduced later for two-digit divisors.
My child knows their tables but is slow. Does speed matter?
Yes, a little. If a fact takes five seconds, a 3-digit multiplication takes long enough that the child loses track of the carries. Two or three minutes of quick recall at the start of a session, using only the facts they hesitate over, helps. Accuracy still comes first; speed follows from regular, short practice.
How many problems should a grade 4 worksheet have?
Somewhere between 12 and 20, depending on how confident the child is. Written methods take longer per problem than facts, so 16 multiplications can easily fill 15 minutes. Try a free sample sheet first and time it; if it takes more than 20 minutes, choose fewer problems rather than cutting the checking.
What comes after grade 4 worksheets?
Grade 5 extends the same ideas: multiplying larger numbers, dividing by two-digit numbers, adding fractions with different denominators and working with hundredths and thousandths. Making the grade 4 methods secure, using organised grade 4 maths worksheets or school homework, is the best preparation, because those later topics reuse the same written layouts.
Sources
- Mathematics programmes of study: key stages 1 and 2, National curriculum in England (Department for Education, 2013)
- Multiplication tables check assessment framework (Standards and Testing Agency)
- Common Core State Standards for Mathematics
- Rohrer & Taylor (2007), The shuffling of mathematics problems improves learning, Instructional Science
Try it at home
Print a free Grade 4 (Year 5) sheet with the answers on page 2, no email needed. If it suits your child, a 12-week pack gives you 60 dated sheets, one for every school day (€19, full refund within 14 days).