Money and Change
Money and change at Year 3 level applies addition and subtraction skills to problems involving pounds and pence: working out the total cost of several items, and calculating change by finding the difference between the amount paid and the total cost.
Before you start
Make sure you're comfortable with these topics first:
Method
- Read the amounts carefully, noting whether they are given in pounds (£), pence (p), or a mix of both.
- If amounts are in different units, convert them to the same unit (usually pence, or pounds with a decimal point) before adding or subtracting.
- To find the total cost of several items, add their prices together using a mental or written addition method.
- To find change, work out the difference between the amount paid and the total cost, using subtraction or by counting up from the cost to the amount paid.
- Check that the change makes sense: it should always be less than the amount paid.
- Give the answer in the unit the question asks for (pounds and pence, or pence alone).
Worked example
A pencil case costs £2.65 and a ruler costs £1.20. Lily pays with a £5 note. Work out how much change she should receive.
- Find the total cost of both items: £2.65 + £1.20.
- £2.65 + £1.20 = £3.85.
- Find the change by subtracting the total cost from £5: £5.00 - £3.85.
- £5.00 - £3.85 = £1.15, so Lily receives £1.15 change.
Practice questions
Type your answer and press Check to be marked straight away, or reveal the answer and mark yourself.
Q1A comic costs 85p and a sticker sheet costs 40p. What is the total cost?Show answer
Answer: £1.25 (125p)
Q2Work out £3.50 + £2.40.Show answer
Answer: £5.90
Q3A drink costs £1.30. Ben pays with a £2 coin. How much change does he get?Show answer
Answer: 70p
Q4Work out £10 - £6.75.Show answer
Answer: £3.25
Q5Three apples cost 35p each. What is the total cost?Show answer
Answer: £1.05 (105p)
Q6A book costs £4.99. Round this to the nearest pound to estimate the cost.Show answer
Answer: £5
Exam-style questions
Written in the style of a KS2 Maths exam paper, with a full mark scheme.
A pack of crayons costs £1.75 and a notebook costs £2.30. Work out the total cost of both items.
Show mark scheme
Tick each line you got. Your score builds from the marks on the scheme.
Nothing ticked yet - 2 available
Tom buys a toy car for £3.60. He pays with a £5 note. How much change should he receive?
Show mark scheme
Tick each line you got. Your score builds from the marks on the scheme.
Nothing ticked yet - 2 available
Grace buys a magazine for £2.15 and a chocolate bar for 85p. Work out the total she spends, giving your answer in pounds.
Show mark scheme
Tick each line you got. Your score builds from the marks on the scheme.
Nothing ticked yet - 2 available
Free printable worksheet
Want more practice on paper? Download the money and change worksheet pack - 6 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.
Next topics
Not quite what you needed?
Tell us what is missing on money and change, or which topic to write up next. Every request is read, and we reply to every one.
Build a full practice pack.
This topic is one of hundreds in the library - pick the ones a student needs and generate a printable PDF in minutes.