Counting Coins

Counting coins is a fun and useful skill! To find out how much money you have, you can use skip counting.

Before we start counting, let's review what each coin is worth:

• Quarter: $25$ cents ($25\text{¢}$)
• Dime: $10$ cents ($10\text{¢}$)
• Nickel: $5$ cents ($5\text{¢}$)
• Penny: $1$ cent ($1\text{¢}$)

The Golden Rule of Counting Coins

When you have a mix of different coins, always start with the coins that are worth the most and count down to the smallest.

Sorting your coins from largest value to smallest value makes it much easier to keep track of your total!

Let's Practice!

Example 1: How much money is 1 quarter, 2 dimes, and 3 pennies?

Let's count them in order from largest value to smallest value.

1. Start with the Quarter: $25\text{¢}$
2. Add the Dimes (skip count by 10s):
   • $25 + 10 = 35\text{¢}$
   • $35 + 10 = 45\text{¢}$
3. Add the Pennies (count by 1s):
   • $45 + 1 = 46\text{¢}$
   • $46 + 1 = 47\text{¢}$
   • $47 + 1 = 48\text{¢}$

Total: You have $48\text{¢}$!

Example 2: Count 3 nickels and 4 pennies

Again, start with the biggest value coin. Nickels are worth more than pennies.

1. Count the Nickels (skip count by 5s):
   • $5, 10, 15\text{¢}$
2. Add the Pennies (count by 1s):
   • $15 + 1 = 16\text{¢}$
   • $16 + 1 = 17\text{¢}$
   • $17 + 1 = 18\text{¢}$
   • $18 + 1 = 19\text{¢}$

Total: You have $19\text{¢}$!

Helpful Tips for Counting Money

• Sort first: If the coins are in a messy pile, line them up! Put the quarters first, then dimes, then nickels, and finally pennies.
• Use your fingers: Tap each coin as you count it so you don't count the same coin twice.
• Practice skip counting: Being good at counting by $5\text{s}$ and $10\text{s}$ will make counting coins a breeze!