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School Canteen

Students are responsible for purchasing stock online for the school canteen. The focus is on the mathematical skills and calculations associated with shopping, including purchase of goods in multiples of fixed units and determining best buys to minimise total costs.

Teacher notes

  • Students identify best buys and alternative ways to complete the requirements of the canteen order at the lowest possible cost to the school.
  • Students are encouraged to use efficient calculation strategies to solve arithmetic problems involving money and quantities.
  • Calculations require recognition and use of ratio, factors, and multiples of whole numbers and measures; recall of multiplication and division facts.
  • Randomised quantities and costs support repeated use.

Learning objects

School canteen picture.

School canteen: restock: level 1
Students choose how to order school canteen items available in a range of packaging sizes. In these examples, the unit price of the item remains the same regardless of the quantity purchased. Strategies are displayed at the end of each order.
School canteen picture.

School canteen: restock : level 2
The range of numbers is greater and the packaging size varies from level 1 but the unit price remains the same. Strategies are displayed at the end of each order.
School canteen picture.

School canteen: best buy: level 1
Students need to calculate the unit prices for each different pack size to find the lowest price. There are up to four pack sizes for each item. Strategies are displayed at the end of each order.
School canteen picture.

School canteen: best buy: level 2
The calculations for level 2 are more difficult than those required for level 1. Strategies are displayed at the end of each order.
School canteen picture.

School canteen: two traders: level 1
For each item, students must calculate the total price from two traders. The package sizes and package sizes vary.
School canteen picture.

School canteen: two traders: level 2
The calculations for level 2 are more difficult than those required for level 1.
School canteen picture.

School canteen: estimate and check: level 1
Students check the prices and package sizes from the price catalogues of two traders. They identify the lowest price per item then estimate which trader will supply all the goods for the lowest total cost. Students then test their estimates by calculating the total cost of the items from each trader.
School canteen picture.

School canteen: estimate and check: level 2
The calculations for level 2 are more difficult than those required for level 1.