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Money and real-life problems are a major feature of the SET 11+ maths papers. These questions test your ability to apply mathematical skills to everyday situations — shopping, budgets, wages, discounts, and more. On Stage 2, you must show clear working and include correct units (especially £ and p). This lesson will prepare you for the types of money problems you will face.
Key rule: Always make sure all amounts are in the same unit before you calculate.
| Rule | Example |
|---|---|
| To convert pounds to pence | £3.50 = 350p |
| To convert pence to pounds | 275p = £2.75 |
SET Tip: If a question mixes pounds and pence, convert everything to pence first, then convert your answer back to pounds at the end.
A shirt costs £12.50 and a pair of socks costs £3.75. Oliver buys 2 shirts and 3 pairs of socks. He pays with a £50 note. How much change does he get?
Step 1: Cost of shirts: 2 × £12.50 = £25.00
Step 2: Cost of socks: 3 × £3.75 = £11.25
Step 3: Total cost: £25.00 + £11.25 = £36.25
Step 4: Change: £50.00 - £36.25 = £13.75
These questions ask you to compare prices. Find the unit cost (cost per item, per gram, per litre, etc.).
Shop A sells 4 apples for £1.40. Shop B sells 6 apples for £1.98. Which shop offers better value?
Profit = selling price - cost price
Loss = cost price - selling price
A trader buys 50 mugs at £2.40 each. She sells them all at £4.00 each. What is her total profit?
To find a percentage of an amount:
| Percentage | Method |
|---|---|
| 10% | Divide by 10 |
| 5% | Find 10%, then halve it |
| 20% | Find 10%, then double it |
| 25% | Divide by 4 |
| 1% | Divide by 100 |
A coat costs £85. It is reduced by 20% in a sale. What is the sale price?
A laptop costs £360 plus 15% tax. What is the total price?
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