Maths topic
Money and financial maths
What children learn in money and financial maths, from their first year of school to the end of primary, and the lessons to watch together.
What's taught, year by year
The steps in money and financial maths, in the order children usually meet them. Years are named as in Australia; the ages are a guide.
Before school ages 3–5
- Money is used to buy things. Play shop and learn that we swap coins and notes for things we want.
Year 1 ages 6–7
- Name the coins. Recognise and name each coin in your country's currency.
- Name the notes. Recognise and name each note (bill) and its value.
- Order coins and notes by value. Put coins and notes in order from least to greatest value; size is not value.
- Count coins of the same value. Skip count to total a group of identical coins, such as 5c or 10p coins.
Year 2 ages 7–8
- Money symbols and writing amounts. Write amounts with the right symbol, such as 45c, 45p, $3 or £3.
- Count a mix of coins. Find the total of mixed coins by starting with the largest value.
- Make the same amount in different ways. Find different coin and note combinations that make the same total.
- Compare amounts of money. Decide which group of coins or notes is worth more.
- Add prices to find a total. Add the prices of two or three items in whole dollars or cents only.
- Give change by counting up. Find change from a simple amount by counting on from the price.
Year 3 ages 8–9
- Dollars and cents (pounds and pence) in decimal form. Read and write amounts like $3.75 or £3.75 and say them in words.
- Convert between dollars and cents. Change $4.50 to 450c and 325c to $3.25 (or pounds and pence).
- Add and subtract money amounts. Add and subtract prices written in decimal money notation.
- Change from a note. Work out change when paying with a note, such as $10 or £5.
Year 4 ages 9–10
- Do I have enough money?. Compare a total cost with the money available and find how much more is needed.
- Estimate a shopping total by rounding. Round prices to the nearest dollar or pound to estimate a total.
- Multiply and divide money. Find the cost of several items or share a cost equally.
- Save up for something. Work out how many weeks of saving it takes to reach a goal.
Year 5 ages 10–11
- Plan a simple budget. Plan a shopping list or party that stays within a set amount of money.
- Best buy: compare prices. Compare price per item or per unit to find the better deal.
Year 6 ages 11–12
- Work out a sale price after a discount. Take a percentage discount off a price to find what you pay.
- Add tax to a price. Add GST, VAT or sales tax at a given percentage to a price.
- Simple interest on savings. Find a year's interest on savings at a given rate.
- Compare weekly, monthly and yearly costs. Convert plan costs to the same time period to compare them.