Problem Description Sheet: Dimes and Quarters 

Introduction: Philip has a pocket full of change, all in dimes and quarters.

Problem:

  1. He takes 3 quarters and 2 dimes out of his pocket and gives these to his sister, Judy. What is the value of these coins?

  2. He takes all the remaining coins from his pocket and totals these. The total value of these quarters and dimes is $3.15. What is one possible answer for the number of quarters and number of dimes?
     

  3. Could all his remaining coins be quarters? Could they all be dimes? Explain your answers.
     
  4. He has more quarters than dimes in his $3.15. How many quarters and dimes does he have?
     
  5. Philip’s mother puts all of her change on the table. She has no pennies, nickels, half-dollars, or loonies. Her change totals $1.80. Philip’s sister, Judy, states "I have the same number of dimes as mother, but all my quarters and dimes are worth more than twice as much as mother’s change. I have the same number of quarters as I have dimes." How much are all Judy’s quarters and dimes worth? Show all possible answers and show or explain your work.

Materials: Real or play coins are optional; pencil, paper, calculator

Extra Questions: Can you create other questions that involve the number and value of quarters and dimes? involving quarters, dimes, and nickels? other coin combinations? Can you find and describe a pattern for the numbers of quarters and dimes possible for a total of $3.00? $3.05? $3.10? $3.15? $3.20? $3.25? $3.30? and so on?

Topic(s):

Numbers and operations, money measurement (M-59,P-1g),
critical and creative thinking, communication 

Activity Type:

  Group  Individual 

Assessment:

  Scale:      Levels 1-5        

  Self  Peer  Teacher 

  Include in your portfolio?
  Yes  No  Optional 

  Toward your marks?
  Yes  No  Optional 

       

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