How Many Nickels?

Your child should be able to answer the questions, and make up others like them, even without a coin in sight!

What You Need:

• Paper and pencil

What You and Your Child Will Do:

1. Tell your child to pretend that you have a nickel bank that has a total of $10 in nickels. How many nickels would there be?
2. Allow some thinking time. When your child gives an answer, ask him or her to explain his or her thinking.
   Answer: 200 nickels; There are 20 nickels in $1. Since $10 is ten times $1, there must be ten times 20 nickels, or 200 nickels, in $10.
3. Now have your child pretend you have a dime bank with a total of $18 in dimes. How many dimes would there be?
   Answer: 180 dimes; There are 10 dimes in $1. Since $18 is eighteen times $1, there must be eighteen times 10 dimes, or 180 dimes, in $18.