When you go shopping every item costs an amount in dollars and cents.
Always write the dollars before the point and the cents after it.
Tip: add up all the dollars first, then all the cents.
If there are 100 cents or more, they become one dollar.
Example: milk costs 1 dollar 29 cents, bread costs 2 dollars 49 cents.
1 dollar plus 2 dollars is 3 dollars.
29 cents plus 49 cents is 78 cents.
Together that is 3 dollars 78 cents.
The numbers filled in show the solution.
Example
For parents
What does this exercise practice?
Add up amounts in dollars and cents and understand the carry from cents to dollars.
Common pitfalls
Children often forget the carry: 60 cents plus 50 cents is not 110 cents but 1 dollar 10 cents. Saying it out loud helps with the conversion.
How to practice at home
On a real shopping trip read out two price tags and estimate the total together, then compare at the checkout.
Related: Shopping, Money, Calculation