learnbits.app· Geography

Making amounts

You learn to make an amount with as few coins and notes as possible.

Practise thisWhiteboardMake it a quiz

How to work it out

  1. Take the largest note or coin that fits.
  2. See how much is left.
  3. Take the largest one that fits again.
  4. Keep going until nothing is left.
£2POUNDS£1POUND50pPENCE20pPENCE£3.70

A worked example

80p

  1. Take 50p first: 30p is left.
  2. Take 20p: 10p is left.
  3. Take 10p: now you have 80p.
50pPENCE20pPENCE10pPENCE80p
More examples

£3.75

  1. Take £2 first: £1.75 is left.
  2. Take £1: 75p is left.
  3. Take 50p: 25p is left.
  4. Take 20p and 5p: now you have £3.75.
£2POUNDS£1POUND50pPENCE20pPENCE5pPENCE£3.75

£12.50

  1. Take a £10 note first: £2.50 is left.
  2. Take £2: 50p is left.
  3. Take 50p: now you have £12.50.
£10£10£2POUNDS50pPENCE£12.50

Watch out

  • You start with small coins and end up with a whole pile: 80p as eight 10-penny coins.

    First look at which note or coin is biggest and still fits. Take that, and only then look at the rest.

  • You take a coin that is too big: £1 for 80p.

    After each coin, count how much is left. If the coin is bigger than what is left, it does not fit.

Tips

  • After each coin, count how much is left.
  • If you start with the biggest coin, you need the fewest coins.

Why it works

If you take the biggest coin or note first, there is less left to make each time. That way you need the fewest coins and do not end up with a messy pile. A till gives change this way too.