Halves and quarters (age 7+)
Solve word problems involving dollar bills, quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies, using $ and ¢ symbols appropriately
What a learner can do afterwards
- Determine the total value of a collection of coins
- Solve a word problem about making change with US currency
- Use $ and ¢ symbols correctly in answers
The lesson
Coins and dollar bills are worth different amounts. A penny is 1¢. A nickel is 5¢. A dime is 10¢. A quarter is 25¢. A one-dollar bill is $1, which is the same as 100¢.
Jack has 3 quarters, 1 dime, and 2 pennies. Add up each coin: 25¢ + 25¢ + 25¢ + 10¢ + 1¢ + 1¢ = 87¢. Jack has 87¢ in all.
Cents use the ¢ symbol and dollars use the $ symbol. Since $1 equals 100¢, amounts under a dollar are usually written with ¢, like 75¢, and amounts of a dollar or more are usually written with $, like $1.25.
Emma pays with a one-dollar bill for a toy that costs 65¢. Since $1 is 100¢, subtract: 100¢ − 65¢ = 35¢. Emma gets 35¢ back in change.
Add coin values to find a total, and subtract the cost from what you paid to find your change.
Watch it
Where it sits
Learn first
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Nothing builds on it yet.
Where this leads
8 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.