Money math worksheets teach one of the most practical uses of math: counting coins, adding and subtracting amounts, making change and solving real-world word problems. These free printable money math worksheets are sorted by grade from 1 to 3, every PDF has an answer key, and the maker above builds addition and subtraction practice for amounts of any size.
Quick answer: Money math is counting, adding and subtracting amounts of money. Students learn coin values (penny 1, nickel 5, dime 10, quarter 25 cents), count mixed coins, add and subtract dollars and cents and make change. This page has free money math worksheets (PDF) with answer keys for grades 1 to 3. Updated October 2026.
Money math worksheets samples
Four of the money worksheets on this page. The full lists by grade are below.
Money worksheets for 1st grade
First graders recognize coins and count pennies, nickels and dimes.
8 free money worksheets for grade 1 across 1 topics, each with an answer key.
Money worksheets for grade 1
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Money math worksheets for 2nd grade
Second graders count mixed coins and bills and solve money word problems, as in standard 2.MD.C.8.
14 free money worksheets for grade 2 across 1 topics, each with an answer key.
Money worksheets for grade 2
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Money math worksheets for 3rd grade
Third graders add and subtract money, make change and work with dollars and cents.
11 free money worksheets for grade 3 across 1 topics, each with an answer key.
Money worksheets for grade 3
All money worksheets →
Coin and bill values
Students must know the value of each coin before anything else. The size of a coin does not match its value, which confuses many children:
| Coin or bill | Value | Cents | Look and feel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penny | 1 cent | 1 | Copper color, Lincoln |
| Nickel | 5 cents | 5 | Silver color, thicker, smooth edge |
| Dime | 10 cents | 10 | Smallest coin, ridged edge |
| Quarter | 25 cents | 25 | Largest common coin, ridged edge |
| Dollar bill | 1 dollar | 100 | Green paper |
| Five-dollar bill | 5 dollars | 500 | Green paper with 5 |
Counting money worksheets: counting mixed coins
To count mixed coins, start with the largest value and count on. Here are six groups and their totals, with the value of each group written out:
| Coins | Value of each group | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 2 quarters, 1 dime, 3 nickels, 4 pennies | 50 + 10 + 15 + 4 | 79¢ |
| 0 quarters, 2 dimes, 1 nickel, 3 pennies | 0 + 20 + 5 + 3 | 28¢ |
| 1 quarter, 0 dimes, 4 nickels, 2 pennies | 25 + 0 + 20 + 2 | 47¢ |
| 3 quarters, 2 dimes, 0 nickels, 1 pennies | 75 + 20 + 0 + 1 | 96¢ |
| 0 quarters, 1 dime, 2 nickels, 5 pennies | 0 + 10 + 10 + 5 | 25¢ |
| 4 quarters, 1 dime, 2 nickels, 3 pennies | 100 + 10 + 10 + 3 | $1.23 |
Making change worksheets: count up
The easiest way to make change is to count up from the cost to the amount paid. Start with the cost, add coins to reach the next dime or dollar, and keep going:
| Pays | Cost | Change | Count up |
|---|---|---|---|
| $5.00 | $3.45 | $1.55 | From $3.45 up to $5.00 |
| $10.00 | $6.80 | $3.20 | From $6.80 up to $10.00 |
| $1.00 | $0.65 | $0.35 | From $0.65 up to $1.00 |
| $20.00 | $14.25 | $5.75 | From $14.25 up to $20.00 |
| $5.00 | $2.15 | $2.85 | From $2.15 up to $5.00 |
Different ways to make the same amount
Any amount can be made with many coin combinations. Finding the fewest coins is a good puzzle, and it uses larger coins first:
| Amount | One way to make it | Fewest coins |
|---|---|---|
| 30¢ | 3 dimes | 2 |
| 41¢ | 1 quarter, 1 dime, 1 nickel, 1 penny | 4 |
| 67¢ | 2 quarters, 1 dime, 1 nickel, 2 pennies | 6 |
| 90¢ | 3 quarters, 1 dime, 1 nickel | 5 |
| 15¢ | 1 dime, 1 nickel | 2 |
Money word problems
Money problems use the same operations as other word problems. Read the story, decide whether to add or subtract, and write the answer with the right sign:
| Story | Number sentence | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| A pencil costs 35 cents and an eraser costs 15 cents. What is the total? | 35 + 15 | 50 cents |
| Mia has $5.00 and buys a book for $3.25. How much change? | 5.00 − 3.25 | $1.75 |
| Tom saves 2 quarters and 3 dimes. How much? | 50 + 30 | 80 cents |
| A snack costs $1.40. Sam pays with 2 dollars. Change? | 2.00 − 1.40 | 60 cents |
| Lee has 4 dimes and wants a 50 cent toy. How much more? | 50 − 40 | 10 cents |
Try ten money math problems
Use these as a warm-up. Write cents with the cent sign or dollars with a dollar sign and decimal point.
| # | Problem | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 dimes and 2 nickels | 40¢ |
| 2 | 2 quarters and 1 dime | 60¢ |
| 3 | 4 quarters | $1.00 |
| 4 | $5.00 − $2.75 | $2.25 |
| 5 | 35¢ + 28¢ | 63¢ |
| 6 | 1 quarter, 2 dimes, 3 pennies | 48¢ |
| 7 | $10.00 − $7.50 | $2.50 |
| 8 | $1.25 + $2.50 | $3.75 |
| 9 | How many dimes make a dollar? | 10 |
| 10 | How many nickels make a quarter? | 5 |
Money worksheets for 2nd grade and dollars and cents worksheets
This page is also searched as money math problems, counting money worksheets, making change worksheets, adding money worksheets, money word problems, dollars and cents worksheets and money worksheets for 2nd grade. All of them are the free PDFs above, for US Letter or A4, with no sign-up. For single-digit addition and subtraction, see addition and subtraction worksheets.
Money vocabulary
Students answer questions faster when they know the words. These are the terms used on the worksheets and answer keys:
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Penny | A coin worth one cent | 1¢ |
| Nickel | A coin worth five cents | 5¢ |
| Dime | A coin worth ten cents | 10¢ |
| Quarter | A coin worth twenty-five cents | 25¢ |
| Change | Money returned when you pay more than the cost | $5.00 − $3.45 = $1.55 |
| Decimal point | Separates dollars from cents | $3.45 |
Common Core standards for money math
These worksheets support the Common Core measurement and data standards and the operations standards:
| Grade | Standard | What students do |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 | 1.MD.C.3 | Tell and write time (money is introduced alongside) |
| Grade 2 | 2.MD.C.8 | Solve word problems involving dollar bills, quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies |
| Grade 3 | 3.NBT.A.2 | Add and subtract within 1,000 (used in money problems) |
| Grade 4 | 4.MD.A.2 | Use the four operations to solve word problems involving money |
Common mistakes with money
| Mistake | Example | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Counting all coins as 1 | 3 dimes counted as 3 cents | Use the value: 3 dimes are 30 cents |
| Mixing the dime and nickel | Dime has 5 cents because it is smaller | Dime is 10 cents, nickel is 5 cents, even though the nickel is bigger |
| Forgetting the dollar sign or cents sign | 35 for 35 cents | Write 35¢ or $0.35 |
| Subtracting in the wrong order | 3.25 − 5.00 | Always take the cost from the amount paid |
| Not lining up decimal points | 3.5 + 0.75 written without alignment | Line up the decimal points before adding |
How to use these money math worksheets
Use real coins whenever you can. Put a handful of coins on the table, have your child count them and then write the total on a money math worksheet. Move from counting coins to adding and subtracting, and finish with making change and word problems. Play store at home to make it real.
Short, regular sessions are best. Pick the money math worksheets that match the grade and use the answer keys to check. If your child struggles to count mixed coins, go back to counting only dimes or nickels first, then add quarters.
A weekly plan for money math
| Day | Focus | Suggested block |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Coin names and values | 15 min |
| Tuesday | Counting mixed coins | 15 min |
| Wednesday | Adding and subtracting money | 15 min |
| Thursday | Making change | 15 min |
| Friday | Money word problems or a store game | 15 min |
| Weekly total | Five short sessions | 75 min |
Frequently asked questions
5 quick answers
Where can I download free money math worksheets?
Open any worksheet in the lists on this page, choose US Letter or A4, then print or save the PDF. They are free, with answer keys, and no account is needed.
What grade learns money math?
Grade 1 meets coins, grade 2 counts mixed coins and solves money word problems, and grade 3 adds and subtracts money more fluently.
How do you count mixed coins?
Start with the biggest coins and count on. Count quarters by 25s, dimes by 10s, nickels by 5s and pennies by 1s.
How do you make change?
Count up from the cost to the amount paid, or subtract the cost from the amount paid.
How can I practice money at home?
Use real coins, play store, and let your child pay and count the change at a real shop.