Is it possible to create a div with multiple columns within a page that has not had already determined multiple columns?
Yes, why would it matter what else is on the page? A div is its own container, you can do whatever you want within that div. Including building columns. Just be aware that columns containing text is not a good solution for a webpage (if the text is divided among the columns like in a newspaper, for instance), as the columns on a webpage involves lots of scrolling back and forth.