Teaching article
Count up to find change, then verify the difference
Connect the price to the payment through visible additions and check the difference.
Begin at the menu price and build a visible path to the amount paid. Children can total the increments they added and use price plus change as a check on their answer.
Keep the added increments visible and total them separately. Reaching the payment amount does not mean that amount is the change.
Count the additions, not the starting amount
- Start at the price.
- Add units until reaching the payment.
- Total the added units.
Counting from $3 to $5 adds $2, so the pretend customer's change is $2.
Do not count the starting price as a change unit.
Does price plus change equal payment? Use counters representing whole dollars.
Resources
- Café Change – Australian Money Worksheet — Use its pretend transactions to practise price, payment and change.
Further reading
Read next
- Three items at one price: make the receipt line explicit
- Measure a length with units that stay the same
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