Last year you counted small amounts. This year you go further:
- Count larger amounts with several coins and bills.
- Make change for any payment.
- Combine coins to make any amount.
- Use decimal notation ($12.50).
- Solve money word problems.
In this topic we count in US dollars and cents. If you live in the UK, it works the same way with pounds and pence: £12.50 is twelve pounds and fifty pence.
- US: coins 1¢, 5¢, 10¢, 25¢; bills 5, 20.
- UK: coins 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1, £2; notes £5, £10, £20.
Why money matters
Money is the most useful place a child meets numbers. Adding, subtracting, even decimals — all in real life. A grade-3er who can read a price tag, work out change, and not get cheated has maths and life skills.
What you'll learn
- Counting larger amounts — coins + bills.
- Making change — what to give back.
- Decimal notation — $12.50 = 12 dollars 50 cents.
- Money word problems — shopping, saving.
- For parents — practice ideas.
Try it
Summary
- $1 = 100 cents (and £1 = 100 pence).
- Count, make change, combine coins, write decimals.
- Real-life money is the best practice you can get.