Money and Real-Life Problems

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.

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Working with Money

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.

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Worked Example 1: Shopping Problem

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