It doesn't work for division.
The reason it works for multiplication is because multiplication is distributive over addition
17 * 5
17 * (4 + 1)
(17 * 4) + (17 * 1)
Division is not distributive
17 / 5
17 / (4 + 1)
(17 / 4) + (17 / 1) <== WRONG!!