Solved Exercises on Counting Money in Grade 2

Master counting money: pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, addition, comparison, making change through these 5 detailed exercises.

Solution: Exercises 1 to 3
1 Counting Mixed Coins
Exercise 1
Count the total amount:
2 quarters, 3 dimes, 1 nickel, 4 pennies
Definition:

Money Values: Penny = 1¢, Nickel = 5¢, Dime = 10¢, Quarter = 25¢

Counting method:
  1. Identify each coin and its value
  2. Count how many of each coin you have
  3. Multiply the number of each coin by its value
  4. Add all amounts together
25¢
25¢
10¢
10¢
10¢
5¢
1¢
1¢
1¢
1¢
2 × 25¢
Quarters
3 × 10¢
Dimes
1 × 5¢
Nickel
4 × 1¢
Pennies
Step 1: Count quarters

2 quarters = 2 × 25¢ = 50¢

Step 2: Count dimes

3 dimes = 3 × 10¢ = 30¢

Step 3: Count nickel

1 nickel = 1 × 5¢ = 5¢

Step 4: Count pennies

4 pennies = 4 × 1¢ = 4¢

Step 5: Add all amounts

50¢ + 30¢ + 5¢ + 4¢ = 89¢

Total: 89¢
Final answer:

2 quarters, 3 dimes, 1 nickel, 4 pennies = 89¢

Applied rules:

• Value recognition: Know the value of each coin

• Multiplication: Number of coins × value of each coin

• Addition: Add all calculated amounts together

2 Comparing Money Amounts
Exercise 2
Which is greater?
3 quarters vs 2 quarters + 5 dimes
Definition:

Comparison: Compare two amounts using >, <, or =

3 quarters
3 × 25¢ = 75¢
?
2 quarters + 5 dimes
50¢ + 50¢ = 100¢
Step 1: Calculate left side

3 quarters = 3 × 25¢ = 75¢

Step 2: Calculate right side

2 quarters = 2 × 25¢ = 50¢

5 dimes = 5 × 10¢ = 50¢

Total = 50¢ + 50¢ = 100¢

Step 3: Compare the amounts

75¢ < 100¢

Step 4: Write the comparison

3 quarters < 2 quarters + 5 dimes

3 quarters < 2 quarters + 5 dimes
Final answer:

2 quarters + 5 dimes is greater than 3 quarters

Applied rules:

• Calculate separately: Find the value of each group

• Compare values: Use comparison symbols >, <, or =

• Order matters: Be careful with which amount is larger

3 Making Change
Exercise 3
You buy a toy for 47¢. You pay with 3 quarters. How much change do you get?
Definition:

Making change: Money returned when payment is more than cost

Step 1: Calculate total payment

3 quarters = 3 × 25¢ = 75¢

Step 2: Subtract the cost

Change = Payment - Cost

Change = 75¢ - 47¢ = 28¢

Step 3: Express change in coins

28¢ = 1 quarter (25¢) + 3 pennies (3¢)

Step 4: Verify the calculation

Cost + Change = 47¢ + 28¢ = 75¢ = Payment ✓

Change: 28¢ (1 quarter + 3 pennies)
Final answer:

You get 28¢ in change (1 quarter and 3 pennies)

Applied rules:

• Subtraction: Change = Payment - Cost

• Coin combination: Express change using fewest coins possible

• Verification: Check that Cost + Change = Payment

Money Values and Rules
🪙 = 1¢, 🪙🪙 = 5¢, 🪙🪙🪙 = 10¢, 🪙🪙🪙🪙 = 25¢
Coin Values
Penny
1¢
Smallest coin
Nickel
5¢
Worth 5 pennies
Dime
10¢
Worth 10 pennies
Quarter
25¢
Worth 25 pennies
Counting Strategy: Start with the largest coins first (quarters, then dimes, then nickels, then pennies)
Change Rule: Change = Amount Paid - Cost of Item
Comparison: Convert all amounts to cents before comparing
Solution: Exercises 4 to 5
4 Word Problem
Exercise 4
Sarah has 2 dimes and 3 nickels. Tom has 1 quarter and 2 pennies. Who has more money?
Definition:

Word problems: Real-life scenarios requiring math calculations

Step 1: Calculate Sarah's money

2 dimes = 2 × 10¢ = 20¢

3 nickels = 3 × 5¢ = 15¢

Sarah's total = 20¢ + 15¢ = 35¢

Step 2: Calculate Tom's money

1 quarter = 1 × 25¢ = 25¢

2 pennies = 2 × 1¢ = 2¢

Tom's total = 25¢ + 2¢ = 27¢

Step 3: Compare the amounts

35¢ > 27¢

Step 4: Answer the question

Sarah has more money than Tom

Sarah has 35¢, Tom has 27¢
Final answer:

Sarah has more money (35¢ > 27¢)

Applied rules:

• Problem breakdown: Separate each person's coins

• Individual calculation: Find total for each person

• Comparison: Compare the final totals

5 Saving Pattern
Exercise 5
Every day for 5 days, Emma saves 2 dimes. How much does she save in total?
Definition:

Pattern problems: Repeated actions over time

Step 1: Calculate daily savings

2 dimes per day = 2 × 10¢ = 20¢ per day

Step 2: Calculate total days

Emma saves for 5 days

Step 3: Calculate total savings

Total = Daily amount × Number of days

Total = 20¢ × 5 = 100¢ = $1.00

Step 4: Express in dollars

100¢ = $1.00

Emma saves $1.00 in 5 days
Final answer:

Emma saves $1.00 in total

Applied rules:

• Multiplication: Daily amount × Number of days

• Conversion: 100¢ = $1.00

• Pattern recognition: Same amount saved each day

Money Counting Laws, Methods, and Tips
💰 = 🪙 + 🪙 + 🪙 + 🪙
Money Addition
Key definitions:

Money: Coins and bills used to buy things

Cents (¢): Smaller unit of US currency

Dollars ($): Larger unit of US currency (100¢ = $1)

Complete methodology:
  1. Identify coins: Recognize each type of coin and its value
  2. Count systematically: Group same coins together
  3. Calculate value: Multiply number of each coin by its value
  4. Add amounts: Sum all calculated values
Tip 1: Count the largest coins first (quarters, dimes, nickels, pennies).
Tip 2: Use skip counting (10, 20, 30 for dimes).
Tip 3: Remember 4 quarters make a dollar.
Tip 4: Always check your work by adding again.
Common errors: Confusing coin values, miscounting, forgetting to add all amounts.
Exam preparation: Practice with real coins, memorize values, work on word problems.
Important rules to remember:

• Penny = 1¢

• Nickel = 5¢

• Dime = 10¢

• Quarter = 25¢

• 100¢ = $1.00

Questions & Answers

Question: I have trouble remembering which coin is worth what. How can I easily remember the values of pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters?

Answer: Here are some memory tricks for coin values:

  • Penny: P = 1¢ (Penny starts with P, and it's the smallest value)
  • Nickel: N = 5¢ (Nickel has 5 letters, worth 5¢)
  • Dime: D = 10¢ (Dime is small like the number 10 is smaller than 25)
  • Quarter: Q = 25¢ (Quarter is 1/4 of a dollar, 100÷4=25)

Physical features also help:

  • Penny is copper-colored and the smallest
  • Nickel is silver and larger than a dime
  • Dime is silver and smaller than a nickel
  • Quarter is silver and the largest

Practice with real coins to build muscle memory!

Question: When I'm counting mixed coins, I sometimes forget where I am in my counting. How can I keep track better?

Answer: Here are effective tracking strategies for counting coins:

  • Sort first: Put all same coins together before counting
  • Count aloud: Say the running total as you count each coin
  • Group by tens: Count dimes by 10s (10, 20, 30...)
  • Mark counted coins: Move coins to a separate pile as you count them
  • Write it down: Record the value of each type of coin as you finish counting them

Example: If counting 3 dimes and 2 nickels:

  • Move dimes to one side, nickels to another
  • Count dimes: 10, 20, 30 → write down "30¢"
  • Count nickels: 5, 10 → write down "10¢"
  • Add: 30¢ + 10¢ = 40¢

This systematic approach prevents double-counting or skipping coins!

Question: My child understands coin values but struggles with making change. How can I help them master this concept?

Answer: Making change is challenging because it involves subtraction and coin combination. Here's a teaching approach:

  • Start with concrete examples: Use real coins to demonstrate the concept
  • Teach the formula: Change = Money Given - Cost
  • Practice with round numbers: Begin with items costing 10¢, 25¢, 50¢
  • Use visual aids: Draw circles representing coins to show the process

Example activity: Give your child 50¢ and an item that costs 30¢. Have them physically remove 30¢ worth of coins from the 50¢, showing that 20¢ remains as change.

Build confidence gradually:

  1. Simple subtractions (50¢ - 25¢)
  2. Mixed coin subtractions (75¢ - 45¢)
  3. Real-world scenarios (shopping situations)

Reinforce that making change is just subtraction in a practical context!