Grade by Grade
F. Financial Literacy · Counting Money to $200

Same Dollars, Different Bills

F1.1 A1About 40 minutes
Learning goals
  • I can show the same dollar amount (up to $200) in two or more ways.
  • I can trade bills and dollar coins for others worth the same.
  • I can make an amount using the fewest bills and coins.
  • I can tell if two groups of money have the same value.

Words to know

same value
Worth the same amount. A $100 bill and 5 $20 bills have the same value.
trade
To swap money for other money worth exactly the same. A bank will trade a $20 bill for 2 $10 bills.
fewest
The smallest number of bills and coins you can use.
combination
A group of bills and coins put together to make an amount.

Let's get started!

Two neighbours give money to help their community fridge. Mr. Singh gives one $100 bill. Ms. Tremblay gives five $20 bills.

Mr. Singh gave 1 bill. Ms. Tremblay gave 5 bills. Who gave more money?

$100brown=$20$20$20$20$20204060801001 hundred-dollar bill = 5 twenty-dollar bills
Count the $20 bills: 20, 40, 60, 80, 100. Five $20 bills are worth $100, the same as one $100 bill.

They gave the same amount: $100! Just like with coins, there are many ways to make the same dollar amount. The number of bills does not tell you the value. You have to count.

This......has the same value asCheck
2 loonies1 toonie$1, $2
5 loonies1 $5 bill$1, $2, $3, $4, $5
2 $5 bills1 $10 bill$5, $10
2 $10 bills1 $20 bill$10, $20
5 $10 bills1 $50 bill$10, $20, $30, $40, $50
2 $20 bills and 1 $10 bill1 $50 bill$20, $40, $50
2 $50 bills1 $100 bill$50, $100
10 $10 bills1 $100 bill$10, $20, $30... $100
2 $100 bills$200$100, $200
Equal values with bills and dollar coins.
one $100 bill$100two $50 bills$50$50five $20 bills$20$20$20$20$20ten $10 bills$10$10$10$10$10$10$10$10$10$10$100
Every row reaches the same dashed line, so every row is worth $100. More bills does not mean more money.
Worked example

Example 1: Show $40 three ways

Show $40 in three different ways.

  1. Way 1: 2 $20 bills. $20, $40.
  2. Way 2: 4 $10 bills. $10, $20, $30, $40.
  3. Way 3: 1 $20 bill, 1 $10 bill and 2 $5 bills. $20, $30, $35, $40.
  4. Count each way to check.

2 $20 bills = 4 $10 bills = $20 + $10 + $5 + $5. All are $40.

Worked example

Example 2: Fewest bills for $85

Make $85 with the fewest bills.

  1. The biggest bill that fits is $50. (A $100 bill is too much.) We have $50. We need $35 more.
  2. A $20 bill fits. Now we have $70. We need $15 more.
  3. Another $20 would be too much. A $10 bill fits. Now we have $80. We need $5 more.
  4. A $5 bill finishes it: $85.

4 bills: $50, $20, $10 and $5.

Worked example

Example 3: Fewest bills and coins for $168

Make $168 with the fewest bills and coins.

  1. Start with $100. We need $68 more.
  2. Add $50: we have $150. We need $18 more.
  3. Add $10: we have $160. We need $8 more.
  4. Add $5: we have $165. We need $3 more.
  5. Add a toonie: $167. Add a loonie: $168.

6 pieces: $100, $50, $10, $5, a toonie and a loonie.

Worked example

Example 4: All the ways to make $20 with $10 and $5 bills

Use an organized list to find all the ways to make $20 with only $10 and $5 bills.

  1. Start with the most $10 bills: 2 $10 bills, 0 $5 bills.
  2. Use one fewer $10 bill: 1 $10 bill. We need $10 more, so add 2 $5 bills.
  3. Use no $10 bills: 4 $5 bills. $5, $10, $15, $20.

There are 3 ways. (And of course one $20 bill is a fourth way, if we may use it!)

$10 bills$5 billsTotal
20$20
12$20
04$20
Organized list for $20 using $10 and $5 bills.

Big first

To use the fewest bills and coins, always start with the biggest bill or coin that fits, then ask: "How much more do I need?" To check two groups are the same value, count each group. If the totals match, they are worth the same.

Just for fun

Would you rather carry one $100 bill or one hundred loonies? 🤔 Same value… but the loonies would make your pocket very, very heavy!

Hands-on activity

Bank teller game

You need: the play money you made last lesson (or draw new bills), plus real or paper loonies and toonies.

  1. You are the bank teller. The grown-up is the customer.
  2. The customer asks for a trade, like: "Can I trade my $50 bill for $10 bills?" Count out the right bills and say the total out loud.
  3. Try these trades: a $20 bill for $5 bills; a $100 bill for $20 bills; a $10 bill for toonies.
  4. Then make $150 in three different ways. Draw or write each way.
  5. Switch jobs and check the grown-up's trades!

Math talk: "How do you know the trade was fair?"

Your turn

1

How many $10 bills have the same value as a $50 bill?

2

How many $20 bills have the same value as a $100 bill?

3

Show $30 in two different ways.

4

Make $60 with the fewest bills.

5

Fill in: $50 + $20 + ____ = $100

6

Show $7 using only loonies and toonies.

7

Do these have the same value? Group A: a $100 bill. Group B: a $50 bill, 2 $20 bills and 2 $5 bills.

More practice: warm-up

1

2 $5 bills have the same value as 1 ____ bill.

2

2 $50 bills have the same value as 1 ____ bill.

3

2 $10 bills have the same value as 1 ____ bill.

4

How much are 2 $100 bills worth?

5

How many loonies have the same value as a $5 bill?

More practice: on your own

1

Show $75 in two different ways.

2

Make $135 with the fewest bills.

3

Make $199 with the fewest bills and coins.

4

Ella has 4 $20 bills. She trades them all for $10 bills. How many $10 bills does she get?

5

Which is worth more: a $50 bill, or 3 $10 bills and 3 $5 bills?

Challenge

1

Make $100 with exactly 4 bills.

2

Make an organized list of all the ways to make $6 using only toonies and loonies.

3

Show $200 in two different ways without using a $100 bill.

Check your understanding

Quiz

1.

Which has the same value as a $20 bill?

2.

How many $20 bills make $100?

3.

Which shows $70 with the fewest bills?

4.

Which is NOT worth $100?

5.

$50 = $20 + $20 + ____

6.

2 toonies and 1 loonie have the same value as...

For parents and teachers

What your child is learning: to represent the same dollar amount (up to $200) with different combinations of $1 and $2 coins and $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 bills (F1.1). Organized lists and the "biggest first" strategy for the fewest bills develop reasoning and problem solving (A1).

Common mistakes:

  • Thinking more bills means more money. Five $20 bills and one $100 bill are equal. Encourage counting before deciding.
  • Going over the amount when choosing bills. Prompt: "How much do you have now? How much more do you need?"
  • Losing track in an organized list. Model starting with the most of the biggest bill and using one fewer each time.

How to help: Play bank with homemade play money. When you see prices in dollars (a toy, groceries, a hockey stick), ask, "What bills could we use to pay exactly?" and "What is the fewest number of bills we could use?"