You will learn
- Plan a budget.
- Plan a trip.
- Read tables and charts.
- Make decisions with maths.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- A budget plans income, expenses and savings.
- Distance ÷ speed = time.
- Convert hours to minutes by multiplying by 60.
- Use maths to decide and check.
Words to know
Plan for spending.
Money coming in.
Money going out.
Money kept.
1. Discover: monthly plan
A student has 100 a month, saves 20% and spends 45 on travel. How much is left?
2. Understand: real situations
- Savings: 20% of 100 = 20.
- Travel: 45.
- Left: 100 − 20 − 45 = 35.
- A trip of 150 km at 60 km/h takes 150 ÷ 60 = 2.5 hours.
Idea 1: Budget
Ama has 100, saves 20% (20) and spends 45 on travel. Left: 100 − 20 − 45 = 35.
Idea 2: Trip
150 km at 60 km/h: 150 ÷ 60 = 2.5 hours. In minutes: 2.5 × 60 = 150.
Idea 3: Meaning
Income is money coming in; expenses go out; savings are money kept.
Why plan? A plan shows what you can afford.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Savings
20% of 100
- 100 ÷ 5.
Answer: 20
Example 2 (We do it together): Left
100 − 20 − 45
- Subtract both.
Answer: 35
Example 3 (You try): Time
150 km at 60 km/h
Show the steps and answer
- 150 ÷ 60.
Answer: 2.5 hours
Did you know?
A budget is a plan for how to use money.
Why this matters
Real decisions about money and travel use all these skills.
4. Explore: budget
You need paper.
- List income.
- List expenses.
- Subtract.
- Decide.
Think about it: what did you notice?
35.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- My income is ___ and my expenses are ___.
- I save ___% = ___.
- The journey takes ___.
- So I have ___ left.
Guided practice
Question 1. 20% of 100?
20.
Question 2. Left?
35.
Question 3. 150 km at 60 km/h?
2.5 h.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- Savings from 100 at 20%
- Left after savings and 45 travel
- 150 km at 60 km/h
- Time in minutes for 2.5 h
- Income minus expenses
Level 2: Grow
- Income 200, save 25%. Savings
- Same: then spend 90 on food. Left
- 180 km at 60 km/h
Level 3: Stretch
- 3 hours in minutes
- 6 return bus trips at 2.50 each way
- Ben says savings are money spent. What is wrong?
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: everyday mathematics
100 a month, save 20%, spend 45. Left?
Show a sample answer
35.
Another one. Income 500, expenses 320, and 25% of what is left is saved. How much is saved?
Show a sample answer
45
7. Common mistakes
Fix: List all.
Fix: Income in; expenses out.
Fix: Multiply hours by 60.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can plan a budget.
- I can plan a trip.
- I can read tables and charts.
- I can make decisions with maths.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- List income and expenses.
- Calculate carefully.
- Decide.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Secondary mathematics readiness. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- Ama has 100 and saves 20%. How much does she save? [2 marks]
- She also spends 45 on travel. How much is left? [2 marks]
- A journey is 150 km at 60 km/h. How long does it take? [2 marks]
- Write 2.5 hours in minutes. [2 marks]
- Ali says savings are money spent. Is he right? Explain. [3 marks]
Total: 11 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- 20% of 100 = 100 ÷ 5 [1]; 20 [1]
- 100 − 20 − 45 [1]; 35 [1]
- 150 ÷ 60 [1]; 2.5 hours [1]
- 2.5 × 60 [1]; 150 minutes [1]
- No [1]. Savings are money kept [1]. Expenses are money spent [1].
Score guide: 10 to 11 = secure. 7 to 9 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 7 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- 20% of 100
- 100 − 20 − 45
- 150 km at 60 km/h
- 2.5 hours in minutes
- Savings are
- 20% of 100
- 100 − 20 − 45
- 150 km at 60 km/h
- 2.5 hours in minutes
- Savings are
Homework
Plan a one-week budget for a small amount.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 20% of 100 | 20 | 2 |
| 100 − 20 − 45 | 35 | 2 |
| 150 km at 60 km/h | 2.5 hours | 2 |
| 2.5 hours in minutes | 150 | 2 |
| Savings are | money kept | 2 |
| Total | 10 |
Practice answers: Worksheet: 1 20; 2 35; 3 2.5 hours; 4 150; 5 money kept.
Quiz answers: 1 A, 2 B, 3 C, 4 A, 5 B, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 C, Challenge 2 C.
Extra worksheet answers (items 6 onward): 6 20; 7 35; 8 2.5 hours; 9 150; 10 money kept.
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 20; 2 35; 3 2.5 hours; 4 150 minutes; 5 the money left over, which is the savings. Level 2: 1 50; 2 60; 3 3 hours. Level 3: 1 180; 2 30; 3 Savings are money kept; expenses are money spent..
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Plan a budget | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Plan a trip | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Read tables and charts | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Make decisions with maths | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: Forgetting an expense. List all.
- Explain another way: use real objects first, then pictures.
- Show a simpler example: Money problems.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child uses maths for budgets and trips. You do not need to be good at mathematics to help.
- Plan a small family budget.
- Ask: what comes in? what goes out?
- Plan a trip time.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: plan a budget; plan a trip; read tables and charts; make decisions with maths.
Prerequisite knowledge. Lessons 1–6.
Materials. Counters (stones, seeds or bottle tops), paper, pencils, board or chalkboard. Low-resource options: use stones, seeds, sticks, bottle tops or drawings in the sand or on the board instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Gather the counters and draw the example pictures on the board before the lesson.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Start with the Discover situation and let learners suggest ideas before you teach.
Explanation (10 min). Teach the Understand section with real objects first, then pictures, then symbols and words.
Guided activity (10 min). You need paper. Learners follow the Explore steps in pairs.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners complete the independent practice and the worksheet.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. What comes in? What goes out? What is left?
Teacher explanation notes. Use the concrete, pictorial, abstract order: real objects first, then pictures, then symbols and words. Return to real objects whenever a learner needs support.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use real objects and work with a partner; say each step aloud together. Extension. Ask learners to make up their own example and explain it to a partner.
Formative assessment. Listen to learner explanations, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. Forgetting an expense. List all.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz and worksheet on this page. The 11-mark exam practice scheme, the 10-mark scheme and all answers are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer and the marking scheme before publication.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Money problems. Enrichment. Invite learners to find or create three more examples at home or in the classroom and explain them. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which concepts learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points named in the Courseversity standard: Common Core State Standards for Mathematics, Cambridge Primary and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Official standards for this topic area. Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (official site): Standards for Mathematical Practice. These pages list the standards that cover this topic area; read them alongside the lesson.
Research used to shape this lesson. Common Core 6.RP.A.3 and MP4; Cambridge Primary Mathematics Stage 6 (real-life problems). These sources informed the lesson.