11+ · Topic guide

Money and Financial Problems: Practice Set 3

Money and Financial Problems: Practice Set 3 is a practice set of money word problems covering totals, change, budgeting, best-value or unit-pricing comparisons, and multi-item shopping calculations, the everyday-context style of question that 11+ maths papers use to test the four operations.

Year 5-6 (11+)Maths and Numerical ReasoningGL AssessmentCEM

Before you start

Make sure you're comfortable with these topics first:

Method

  1. Convert all amounts to the same unit, pence or pounds, before adding, subtracting, multiplying or comparing.
  2. For 'best value' questions, find the price per single unit, per item, per 100g or per litre, for each option before comparing them.
  3. For change questions, add up the total cost of everything bought first, then subtract this total from the amount paid.
  4. For budgeting questions, keep a running total as items are added, comparing it to the budget at each step to check it is not exceeded.
  5. Show money answers in the correct format for the question, matching pounds and pence, or pence only, to what is asked.
  6. Estimate the total cost by rounding prices before calculating exactly, to check the final answer is reasonable.

Worked example

Two boxes of cereal are sold: Box A weighs 500g and costs 2 pounds. Box B weighs 750g and costs 2 pounds 70. Which box gives better value for money, and by how much per 100g?

  1. Find the price per 100g for Box A: 500g is 5 lots of 100g, so 2.00 / 5 = 0.40 per 100g.
  2. Find the price per 100g for Box B: 750g is 7.5 lots of 100g, so 2.70 / 7.5 = 0.36 per 100g.
  3. Compare the two prices per 100g: 0.40 for Box A versus 0.36 for Box B.
  4. Find the difference: 0.40 - 0.36 = 0.04 per 100g.
  5. Final answer: Box B gives better value, by 4p per 100g.

Practice questions

Type your answer and press Check to be marked straight away, or reveal the answer and mark yourself.

Q1A sandwich costs 2 pounds 35 and a drink costs 1 pound 15. What is the total cost?Show answer

Answer: 3 pounds 50

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Q2Jamie pays for a 7 pound 60 item with a 10 pound note. How much change does he receive?Show answer

Answer: 2 pounds 40

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Q3A pack of 6 apples costs 1 pound 80. What is the cost per apple?Show answer

Answer: 30p

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Q4Which is better value: 3 pens for 2 pounds 40, or 5 pens for 3 pounds 75?Show answer

Answer: 3 for 2.40 is 80p each; 5 for 3.75 is 75p each; the 5-pack is better value

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Q5A weekly budget is 25 pounds. After buying items costing 8 pounds 40 and 6 pounds 15, how much of the budget remains?Show answer

Answer: 10 pounds 45

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Q6A cafe sells a meal deal for 5 pounds 50, or the items separately for 2 pounds 20 and 3 pounds 60. How much is saved by buying the meal deal?Show answer

Answer: 30p (2.20 + 3.60 = 5.80, and 5.80 - 5.50 = 0.30)

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Exam-style questions

Written in the style of a 11+ exam paper, with a full mark scheme.

Q1[4 marks]

A cinema sells popcorn in two sizes: a medium for 3 pounds 20 that holds 200g, and a large for 4 pounds 50 that holds 300g. Which size gives better value for money per gram? Show your working.

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Q2[5 marks]

Amara has a budget of 30 pounds for a school trip. She buys a rail ticket for 11 pounds 50, lunch for 5 pounds 75, and wants to buy souvenirs priced at 4 pounds 25 each. If she spends as much as possible on souvenirs without going over budget, how many souvenirs can she buy, and how much of her budget is left unspent?

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Free printable worksheet

Want more practice on paper? Download the money and financial problems: practice set 3 worksheet pack - 11 pages of exam-style questions with a full mark scheme. One email opens every download in this browser for 14 days - no account, no card. Print it for personal and classroom use.

This topic is chapter 8 of 11+ Maths Workbook 3, the whole course as one free printable PDF.

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