12 Ways on How Coupons Teach Math for Kids
Here’s a list of twelve ways coupons teach math. These math concepts can be better understood by learning how to use coupons. This former math teacher also uses coupons to teach students how to improve their math skills and live frugally at the same time with couponing.
One great way this works is how seeing how coupons teach a math lesson.
I know many of you are trying to figure out whether to choose a mastery vs. spiral math curriculum, and using coupons can help enforce math concepts no matter which method teaching math that you choose.
Because this is how coupons teach math!
I’ll pause for a minute while everyone winces in unison and mumbles, “I hated math. And middle school.”
For the record, I loved both math AND teaching middle school! But I can’t count the number of times that I had students ask me when they were ever going to use anything I was teaching them in the real world.
When I was having a great teaching moment, I’d explain how that particular lesson plan concept would apply later. One great way this works is how seeing how coupons teach math.
(Confession: when I wasn’t having a good, teaching math moment, I would tell them it was because they’d one day have kids who would need help on their homework and wouldn’t want to feel stupid if they couldn’t help them.)
Now, as I’ve had my own kids (and even home-schooled them for a bit), I love helping them learn math skills with something as ordinary as grocery shopping and using coupons!
It’s even more fun if they set up their own monthly meal plan or stay within a $42 weekly grocery budget. They’ll also be thrilled as they start getting some of these grocery items for close to free.
(No, I am NOT going to explain here how to do these. That would take way too much time for one post, and I just don’t have that! If you need to know how to do this before you help your own school year or kiddo figure it out, I highly recommend these free resources.)
How Coupons Teach Math
This is a list of 12 math concepts that can be taught by using coupons. Make sure you also check out our post for a free unit lesson plan. And get a cool coupon organizer to help!
And once your kiddos start enjoying math because they learn how it works in the real world, then they might like any of these Best Gifts for Math Lovers.
1. Addition/Subtraction
This is probably an obvious one, but as you add up your groceries, you’re performing addition! When you subtract your frugal grocery budget from coupons and sales, you’re performing subtraction! Who knew, right?
This is an easy way how coupons to teach math. Plus, it’s a practical math lesson, that shows how math is used in everyday life and the real world. Teaching kids how to coupon not only enhances their math skills but also instills valuable financial literacy, preparing them for managing their finances effectively in the future.
This is an easy way how coupons to teach math. Plus, it’s a practical lesson that shows how math is used in everyday life and the real world. Teaching kids how to coupon not only enhances their math skills but also instills valuable financial literacy, preparing them for managing their finances effectively and saving money in the future.
2. Addition/Subtraction with Decimals
Adding and subtracting decimals is a bit trickier than you may think. However, when you’re doing it with money, it makes it easier to explain from elementary school to middle school and even elementary school to kiddos why the decimal point needs to line up! It makes no sense for you to add $2.50 and $3 to get $2.53. Understanding these concepts is crucial not only for math homework but also for real-life situations like budgeting and financial planning.
Adding and subtracting decimals is a bit trickier than you may think. However, when you’re doing it with money, it makes it easier to explain from elementary school to middle school and even elementary school to kiddos why the decimal point needs to line up! It makes no sense for you to add $2.50 and $3 to get $2.53. Understanding these concepts is crucial not only for math homework but for teaching days also for real-life situations like budgeting and financial planning.
3. Multiplication
This is another easy way to see how coupons teach math! If bags of potatoes cost $2 each, and to save money, you need to buy four bags, how much will you pay? (Tip: the answer is $8.) Understanding discounts and calculating totals when saving money using coupons enhances basic math skills in a practical context. It’s especially useful when managing your food budget, ensuring you stay within your allotted spending while maximizing savings through couponing.
This is another easy way to see how coupons teach math! If bags of potatoes cost $2 each, and to save money, you need to buy four bags, how much will you pay? (Tip: the answer is $8.) Understanding discounts and calculating totals using coupons enhances basic math skills in a practical context. It’s a lesson plan is especially useful when managing your food budget, ensuring you stay within your allotted spending while maximizing savings through couponing.
If your child is struggling with multiplication, this printable multiplication chart can help!
4. Division
Division is best used in couponing to discover unit prices and find out if you’re getting a good deal or not. By dividing the total price by the quantity purchased, you can determine the cost per unit and compare it to other options to ensure you’re maximizing savings. This method helps middle school students to understand math concepts like division in a practical context, making it easier to apply mathematical principles in everyday situations.
5. Multiplication with Decimals
Just like addition and subtraction with decimals, this can be a tricky concept. However, if your bag of grapes weighs 1.3 lbs, and it costs $.92 per lb, how much money will your grapes cost? This is a perfect time to demonstrate multiplication with decimals!
6. Division with Decimals
This is the same as regular division, although when you’re calculating unit price, you are most likely going to be working with decimals instead of whole numbers. Understanding how to manipulate decimals in division is crucial for accurately determining the unit price of prices at different stores and making informed purchasing decisions.
7. Metrics and Conversions
One of the “lucky” things about living in the United States is how we measure. Not only do we have the most confusing methods of measurements (I mean, how do you find out how many tablespoons are in a cup without measuring?). Despite the complexities, understanding measurement and unit conversions is essential.
But we also interchange it with the metric system (especially to better deal with liters of soda pop!). Being able to move between the different measurements to compare prices is VERY important in real-world shopping lists and, couponing!
8. Rounding
As you see how coupon teaches math to teach your kids about performing operations with decimals, it’s a great time to see how coupon teaches math to them about rounding numbers. It’s much easier to multiply $3 by four items, as opposed to $2.99 by 4! Rounding is one way how coupons teach math. Understanding rounding helps simplify calculations and makes it easier to estimate costs and savings while shopping with coupons.
As you see how coupon teaches math to how coupon teach math to your kids about performing operations with decimals, it’s a great time to see how coupon teaches math to them about rounding numbers. It’s much easier to multiply $3 by four items, as opposed to $2.99 by 4! Rounding is one way how coupons teach math. Understanding rounding helps simplify calculations and makes it easier to estimate costs and savings while shopping with coupons.
9. Fractions = Percents = Decimals
If kids can switch between decimals, fractions, and percents, it makes things go much more quickly if they’re trying to round numbers and do other ideas of math in their head in the store. For example, knowing that a 25% discount is taking off 1/4 of the price is useful! Or that $.50 is half of a dollar, so if there are six bags, it will be $3. Comparing decimals allows children to understand the relationship between different numerical representations, facilitating quicker mental calculations.
If kids can switch between decimals, fractions, and percents, it makes things go much more quickly if they’re trying to round numbers and do other ideas of math in their head in the store. For example, knowing that a 25% discount is taking off 1/4 of the price is useful! Or that $.50 is half of a dollar, so if there are six bags, it will be $3. Comparing decimals allows children to and students understand math concepts and the relationship between different numerical representations, facilitating quicker mental calculations.
10. Percents of a number
Almost any store sale is for a certain percentage or % off of a price. Knowing how to calculate that will help you know just how much you’ll be paying at checkout.
This is where knowing that 35% is the same thing as .35 is useful: your phone will most likely have a calculator, so you can put in a $15 shirt with a 35% discount as 15 x .35 = $5.25 discount. Understanding percentages simplifies the process of calculating discounts, allowing you to quickly determine the final price of an item after applying the discount.
11. Percents of a percent
Sometimes you have better deals by stacking deals (especially at Target). If an item is 10% off, and you have a coupon that gets you 20% off, can you calculate that? This is a perfect example of how coupons teach math! Understanding coupon math and how to calculate discounts and apply multiple savings offers is a valuable skill for maximizing savings while shopping.
Sometimes you have better deals by stacking deals (especially at Target). If an item is 10% off, and you have a coupon that gets you 20% off, can you calculate that? This is a perfect example of how coupons teach math! Understanding coupon use teaches math concepts, and how to calculate discounts and apply multiple savings offers is a valuable skill for maximizing savings while shopping.
12. Addition/Subtraction/Multiplication/Division with Fractions
Fractions are probably everyone in elementary and even into high and middle school math teacher, ‘s least favorite part of mathematics (other than introducing x in algebra). But sometimes it is important to know if you’re going to be shopping for a specific recipe. If your cookie recipe calls for 1/3 cup of sugar, and you are doubling it, then how much sugar will you need? Understanding fractions helps ensure you purchase the correct amount of ingredients for recipes, making cooking and baking more efficient and enjoyable.
Fractions are probably everyone in some way from elementary school and even into high and middle school math teacher, ‘s least favorite part of mathematics (other than introducing x in algebra). But sometimes it is important to know if you’re going to be shopping for a specific recipe. If your cookie recipe calls for 1/3 cup of sugar, and you are doubling it, then how much sugar will you need? Understanding fractions helps ensure you purchase the correct amount of ingredients for recipes, making cooking and baking more efficient and enjoyable.
And if you found this post interesting, check out our post with fun activities to do on Pi Day!
An earlier version of this post written by Tiffany is on The Crazy Shopping Cart
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