Currency Conversion Practice Problems - Money Math Exercises

Master currency conversion and money math with step-by-step practice problems. Learn to convert dollars, pesos, euros, and calculate exchange rates with confidence.

📚Practice Currency Conversion and Money Math Skills
  • Convert between dollars, cents, pesos, and centavos using multiplication
  • Calculate currency exchange rates between different monetary units
  • Solve multi-step problems involving currency conversion and exchange rates
  • Apply money math skills to real-world scenarios and transactions
  • Master the relationship between major currencies and their subdivisions
  • Build confidence with step-by-step currency calculation methods

Understanding Currency

Complete explanation with examples

There are different types of currencies (different monetary units) in the world. For example, in some countries in Latin America, the peso is used, in others the dollar, and in several European countries, the euro is used.

Each of these monetary units is composed of smaller units. For example:

In one peso there are 100 100 cents or centavos.

In one dollar there are 100 100 cents or penny.

In one euro there are 100 100 cents.

A1 - Monetary units

There are also exchange rates that allow us to convert amounts from one currency to another. Like the conversion between the peso and the dollar or dollar and euro.

For example, the exchange rate between the dollar and the Mexican peso today is:

1 1 dollar 17.50 17.50 Mexican pesos.

Or, in words, one dollar is worth 17.50 17.50 Mexican pesos.

Note that we have written that this is its value today, as the exchange rate varies constantly influenced by many economic factors. This topic is really interesting, but it is not related to our article.


Detailed explanation

Practice Currency

Test your knowledge with 3 quizzes

\( x^2 \) Cents = ____ Dollars

Examples with solutions for Currency

Step-by-step solutions included
Exercise #1

Convert dollars to cents:

0.18 $ =? cents

Step-by-Step Solution

In order to answer this question, one must understand that one dollar is equivalent to 100 cents.

Therefore, one dollar is 0.01 cents.

0.18 dollars, therefore, is 18 cents.

You can also achieve this if we multiply by 100.

0.18*100=18

Answer:

18 18

Video Solution
Exercise #2

How many cents are in 5.7 $?

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer:

570 570

Video Solution
Exercise #3

Write \( 5\frac{1}{4} in terms of cents.

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer:

525 525

Video Solution
Exercise #4

200 cents = ? $

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer:

2 2

Video Solution
Exercise #5

370 cents = ? $

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer:

3.7 3.7

Video Solution

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you convert dollars to cents in math problems?

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To convert dollars to cents, multiply the number of dollars by 100 since there are 100 cents in 1 dollar. For example, 5 dollars = 5 × 100 = 500 cents.

What is the basic formula for currency exchange rate calculations?

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The basic formula is: Amount in Currency A × Exchange Rate = Amount in Currency B. For example, if 1 dollar = 17.50 pesos, then 10 dollars = 10 × 17.50 = 175 pesos.

How many cents are in common currency units like dollars, pesos, and euros?

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All major currencies follow the same pattern: 1 dollar = 100 cents, 1 peso = 100 centavos (or cents), and 1 euro = 100 cents. This makes conversion calculations consistent across currencies.

What are the steps to solve multi-currency conversion problems?

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Follow these steps: 1) Convert the first currency using the exchange rate, 2) Convert the result to smaller units (like cents) by multiplying by 100, 3) Check your work by working backwards through the problem.

Why do currency exchange rates change and how does it affect math problems?

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Exchange rates fluctuate due to economic factors, but in math problems, we use fixed rates for calculations. Always use the exchange rate given in the problem, such as 1 dollar = 17.50 pesos.

What are common mistakes students make in currency conversion problems?

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Common mistakes include: forgetting to multiply by 100 when converting to cents, using the wrong exchange rate, and not showing intermediate steps. Always write out each conversion step clearly.

How do you check if your currency conversion answer is correct?

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Work backwards through your calculation or use estimation. For example, if converting 20 dollars to pesos at 17.50 rate, estimate: 20 × 18 = 360, so your answer of 350 pesos should be close.

What real-world situations use currency conversion math skills?

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Currency conversion is used in international travel, online shopping from other countries, business transactions, and understanding global economics. These math skills help with budgeting and financial planning.

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