Shopping Spree

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Objectives:
-Students calculate the price of various items with tax included.
-Students add and subtract numbers with decimals.
-Students will round number to the nearest hundredth.

Introduction:
This question was formed with something that all students have an interest in, money. This is just a solitary question and can be assigned as homework, but is long enough that it can be used in class as a lesson or activity

Setup:
Ask the students what they would do if they had $1000, answers will range but will be pretty predicable. Tell them that you are going to give them a credit card with exactly $1000 and that any penny they do not spend has to be given back to you at the end of the day; so in other words the closer the students are to spending $1000 the better. As far as the assignment goes you may tell them that they must be within $25 or so of the $1000.

Separate the students into groups of 3-4 and instruct them to work together. Also every member needs to show their work on a separate piece of paper than their group members.

Expected Student Behavior:
At first some students will buy the items that they really want, but will soon find that that may not necessarily allow them to optimize their spending. Other students will make a list of what they want to buy, add it up and forget to do sales tax. Other groups will make a list, add up the items, and then do sales tax. Some groups will do the price of each item with sales tax and then make a list using the new prices they found. Some groups will just buy the same object multiple times, finding it easier then doing a combination of items. There is no best method, as long as the students are accurate with their calculations.

Also you will find some groups finish much sooner than other groups, simply give them the task of trying to get closer to the $1000.

Modifications:
Instead of group work you can simply assign this question as homework. You may also change the sales tax and the different items for sale. You may also change the money limit on the credit card.

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