Adventures in Math is a free educational program to help teach math skills and financial responsibility. Find interactive games, flashcards, lessons by grade level, family resources, and at-home activities for students in grades K-8.
Need a quick warm-up to begin the day or kickstart your math lesson? Try these daily money word problems written especially with second and third graders in mind.
Topics in these money word problems include adding combinations of coins and dollars, comparisons, making change, story problems, and more. (We did include 50-cent pieces, so make sure your students know they’re in the mix!)
Want this entire set in one easy document? You can download a free Google Slides Presentation or a PowerPoint by filling out the simple form. All you need to do is post one of the money word problems on your whiteboard or projector screen. Then let kids take it from there.
1. Which has the same value as 10 pennies?
2. Which has the same value as 100 pennies?
3. If you have 3 quarters and 1 nickel, how many cents do you have?
4. Add the coins.
5. Cole has 1 half-dollar, 3 dimes, 1 nickel, and 3 pennies. How much money does he have?
6. Isla looked under the couch and found 1 dime, 3 nickels, and 17 pennies. How much did she find in all?
7. Add the dollar and coins.
8. If you have 1 dollar bill, 2 quarters, 8 dimes, and 3 nickels, how much money do you have?
9. Malcolm has 2 dollar bills, a half-dollar, 3 quarters, and 4 pennies. How much money does he have?
10. Which is greater–2 quarters or 6 dimes?
11. Which is less–5 dimes or 5 nickels?
12. Which is greater–3 quarters and 2 dimes or 90 pennies?
13. Which is less–2 dimes and 2 nickels or 1 quarter and 1 dime?
14. List all the ways you can think of to make 35¢ without using pennies.
15. List all the ways you can think of to make 45¢ without using pennies.
16. How can you make 70¢ using the least number of coins?
17. How can you make 98¢ using the least number of coins?
18. A pizza eraser costs 25¢. Do you have enough to buy it?
19. Miriam wants to buy a pop-it fidget toy for $3.99. Does she have enough?
20. A candy bar costs 70¢. You pay with 3 quarters. What is your change?
21. How much more do you need to make $1?
22. A hamburger costs $2.99. You pay with a $5 bill. You get $3 dollar bills and a penny back. Did you get the right amount of change?
23. Lollipops cost 15¢ each. Hazel has $1. How many lollipops can she buy?
24. How many squishy pigs can you buy with $2 if squishy pigs cost 79¢ each?
25. How much is 20¢, 25¢, and 39¢ all together?
26. Myland has 37¢. Teagan has 45¢. How much do they have together?
27. What is 15¢ less than 28¢?
28. Norah has 68¢. Kayden has 82¢. How much more does Kayden have than Norah?
29. If you make $5 every day walking dogs, how much will you have after 5 days?
30. Joe has $20. He spent $4 on a hot dog, $3 on fries, and $2 on a drink. How much money does he have left over?
