Consumer Arithmetic

Section 1Money calculations

Consumer arithmetic is everyday money maths. It includes prices, totals, change, discounts, wages, salaries, and foreign exchange. Watch out: write money answers with the correct currency symbol.

Section 2Wages and salaries

Wages are often paid based on hours worked. Salary is usually a fixed amount paid monthly or yearly. Here's the trick: for wages, multiply rate by time; for salary, check whether the question wants weekly, monthly, or yearly pay.

Section 3Foreign exchange

Foreign exchange converts one currency to another using an exchange rate. If US$1 = J$155, then US$20 = 20 x 155 = J$3100. Easy to mix up - multiply when changing US dollars to Jamaican dollars using this rate, but divide when going the other way.

Section 4Real-life problems

Many consumer questions are multi-step. You may need to find a total, apply a discount, add tax or service charge, then calculate change. Slow down and label each step.