Price Comparisons maths mission
A junior real-world challenge using price comparisons to practise comparison without feeling like a worksheet.
Quick answer
Price Comparisons maths mission helps you work out which item is the best value by comparing how much each item costs per unit – like comparing how many sweets you get for your money or how much you pay per litre of juice.
Learning outcome
By the end of this page, you will be able to compare prices of different products to find the best value deal, using simple division and multiplication to work out how much each item costs per unit.
- You can tell which item gives more for your money
- You can work out how much you save by choosing the better deal
- You can use multiplication and division to compare prices
- You can make smart shopping decisions
Why this matters
Price comparisons help you make the most of your pocket money or your family’s shopping budget. Whether you’re buying snacks, school supplies, or toys, knowing how to compare prices helps you get the best deal. This skill is useful in real life, like when you go to the shop with a parent or when you play shop with your friends.
It also helps you understand how maths is used in the world around you. In school, you’ll use this skill for word problems and data handling. In the future, you’ll use it for budgeting, planning trips, or even starting a business.
How it works
Price comparisons are about working out how much you pay for a small amount of something – like how much one apple costs, or how much one litre of juice costs.
Here’s how to do it step by step:
- Find the price of each item – look at the label or receipt
- Find the amount or size of each item – like 500g or 1 litre
- Divide the price by the amount – this tells you the cost per unit
- Compare the results – the lowest cost per unit is the best deal
For example, if one pack of crisps costs £1.50 and it’s 100g, you divide £1.50 by 100g to get £0.015 per gram. If another pack costs £2.00 for 200g, that’s £0.01 per gram. So the second one is a better deal!
Examples you can see
Let’s try a few examples with real items you might see in a shop.
Example 1: Buying juice
You are shopping for orange juice. You see two bottles:
- Bottle A: 1 litre for £1.20
- Bottle B: 500ml for £0.70
To compare them, you need to find the cost per millilitre.
For Bottle A: £1.20 ÷ 1,000ml = £0.0012 per ml
For Bottle B: £0.70 ÷ 500ml = £0.0014 per ml
Bottle A is the better deal!
Example 2: Buying sweets
You want to buy chocolate bars. You see two options:
- Bar 1: 3 bars for £2.40
- Bar 2: 5 bars for £4.00
To find the cost per bar:
Bar 1: £2.40 ÷ 3 = £0.80 per bar
Bar 2: £4.00 ÷ 5 = £0.80 per bar
They cost the same – you can choose either one!
Example 3: Buying apples
You are buying apples:
- Bag 1: 2kg for £3.00
- Bag 2: 1kg for £1.80
Cost per kg:
Bag 1: £3.00 ÷ 2kg = £1.50 per kg
Bag 2: £1.80 ÷ 1kg = £1.80 per kg
Bag 1 is the better deal!
Try it as a mini adventure
Imagine you are on a Price Comparisons Maths Mission with your friend. You have £5 to spend on snacks for a party. You need to find the best deals from these items:
- Mini cakes: 6 for £2.40
- Mini cookies: 10 for £3.00
- Mini biscuits: 8 for £2.00
Your mission is to work out which snack gives you the most for your money. Use division to find the cost per item and decide which one to buy.
Let’s go step by step:
- Mini cakes: £2.40 ÷ 6 = £0.40 each
- Mini cookies: £3.00 ÷ 10 = £0.30 each
- Mini biscuits: £2.00 ÷ 8 = £0.25 each
Mini biscuits are the best deal!
Now you can buy 8 biscuits for £2.00 and still have £3.00 left for other party snacks.
Common mistakes
- Mistake: Comparing the total price instead of the price per unit
- Why it happens: It’s easier to see the big number on the label
- Fix: Always divide the price by the amount to see how much each item costs
- Mistake: Not using the same units (e.g. comparing kg to g)
- Why it happens: People might not notice that 1kg = 1000g
- Fix: Convert everything to the same unit before dividing
- Mistake: Thinking that a bigger pack is always better
- Why it happens: It’s easy to think “more = better”
- Fix: Always calculate the cost per unit to compare fairly
Parent and carer guide
Parents and carers can support children in this mission by:
- Playing along: Go shopping with your child and let them compare prices
- Using real examples: Ask your child to work out which pack of cereal is better
- Practising division: Use simple division problems like £4.80 ÷ 6 to make it easier
- Encouraging thinking: Ask “Why do you think that one is better?”
- Not pushing too hard: This is a fun activity, not a test
Remember, children learn best when they’re enjoying themselves. If your child is struggling, try using play money or drawing price tags to help them visualise the numbers.
Practice questions
- One pack of pencils costs £3.00 for 10 pencils. Another costs £4.50 for 15 pencils. Which is the better deal?
- A bottle of milk costs £1.20 for 500ml. Another costs £2.00 for 1 litre. Which is better?
- One box of crackers costs £2.40 for 8 crackers. Another costs £3.20 for 12 crackers. Which is the better deal?
- One pack of stickers costs £1.80 for 6 stickers. Another costs £3.00 for 10 stickers. Which is better?
- One bag of rice costs £4.00 for 2kg. Another costs £6.00 for 3kg. Which is better?
Answers:
- £3.00 ÷ 10 = £0.30 each; £4.50 ÷ 15 = £0.30 each – same deal
- £1.20 ÷ 500ml = £0.0024 per ml; £2.00 ÷ 1,000ml = £0.002 per ml – second one is better
- £2.40 ÷ 8 = £0.30 each; £3.20 ÷ 12 = £0.267 each – second one is better
- £1.80 ÷ 6 = £0.30 each; £3.00 ÷ 10 = £0.30 each – same deal
- £4.00 ÷ 2kg = £2.00 per kg; £6.00 ÷ 3kg = £2.00 per kg – same deal
FAQ
Why do I need to know how to compare prices?
It helps you save money and get the most for your pocket money or family budget. It’s a useful life skill!
What if the prices are not whole numbers?
That’s okay! You can still divide them. For example, £2.50 ÷ 5 = £0.50 per item.
Can I use a calculator for this?
Yes! A calculator can help you check your answers, but try to do the division mentally first to build your skills.
Is it hard to learn?
Not at all! With a bit of practice, you’ll be a price comparison expert. It’s like solving a fun puzzle.
What if I don’t have money to shop?
You can still practice at home using play money, or imagine different shopping scenarios. The more you practice, the better you get!