Shopping Math

Shopping Math

Required:

• Your time only

It's true that everyone loves a bargain. But do you and your child know how to spot one?

On your next food shopping spree, ask your child to use his or her math know-how to find the best bargains in the store. Your young helper can bring along a notepad and pencil to calculate the actual costs of items per unit (for example, the price of a single orange when a dozen costs two dollars). Using his or her figures, your child can advise you about such issues as which brands are the best buys, whether to buy bigger or smaller packages, and the like.

Encourage your child to keep a running list of all the bargains he or she finds as you shop, whether or not you need to buy the items on this trip. Who knows—maybe on your next run to the supermarket, you'll want to take advantage of the supersaver special they're offering on 144 rolls of paper towels!