2nd Grade Money Management Quizzes

The biggest new skill in second grade is making change, which introduces subtraction into money calculations. Students also begin working with dollar bills, counting collections of coins and bills over $1.00, and solving two-step word problems involving money.

A common and intuitive method is "counting up." Start at the purchase price and count up to the amount paid, using the smallest coins first. For example, if an item costs 78 cents and you pay with $1.00, you'd count up: "79, 80 (2 pennies), 90, $1.00 (2 dimes)." This is often easier for students to grasp than formal subtraction.

Many students struggle with the concept of subtraction in this context. They might incorrectly add the purchase price and the money given. When using formal subtraction, they often have trouble with borrowing, especially when subtracting from a whole dollar amount like $1.00.

These quizzes feature a variety of problems to build fluency. You will find exercises on calculating change from a dollar, solving word problems that require both addition and subtraction of money, and practice counting mixed collections of coins and bills.

These resources are highly versatile. You can use the printable PDF for a graded quiz or in-class practice, and then use the Wayground for Teachers app to quickly scan and grade the completed paper quizzes. Alternatively, assign the quiz as a timed digital quiz on the Wayground platform for a formal assessment. A full answer key is provided for all formats.

This skill provides a practical, everyday application for core second-grade math concepts. Calculating change directly reinforces fluency with two- and three-digit subtraction and gives students concrete practice with solving the two-step word problems required by the standards.