Hong Kong Money

1Summary 重點摘要

Hong Kong dollars (HKD): coins of 10c, 20c, 50c, $1, $2, $5, $10.

2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary

3Step by step Steps

1. Step 1: Know the coinsHong Kong has seven kinds of coins: 10c, 20c, 50c, $1, $2, $5 and $10, and they differ in size, thickness and colour. Example: the 10c coin is the smallest, the $10 coin is bigger and thicker, and the 20c and $2 coins have special wavy edges. Before buying anything, learn the value of every coin so the right money is paid. A common mistake is judging by size without reading the number; every coin carries its value on its face, and the printed number is what counts.
2. Step 2: Know the exchangeSmall coins and dollar coins can be exchanged: one dollar equals ten 10-cent coins, so once the small coins add up to ten tens, they count as one dollar. Example: two 50c coins make ten tens, which is exactly $1; five 20c coins also make $1, and so do ten 10c coins. Remember these exchanges, and counting money and giving change become much easier. A common mistake is thinking 10c equals $1, or that five 10c coins make $5; in fact 10c is only one tenth of a dollar, and ten of them together make $1.
3. Step 3: Count the moneyWhen counting money, put the same coins together first, then add one kind at a time, starting from the biggest value. Example: a $5 coin, a $2 coin and three 10c coins: first 5 + 2 = 7 dollars, then add 30c, and the total is $7 and 30c. Counting big money first and small money second keeps everything clear even when there are many coins. A common mistake is mixing different coins and misreading values, for example taking 20c for $2; so read the value aloud as each coin is counted and check carefully.
4. Step 4: Paying for thingsWhen buying something, if the money paid is more than the price, the shop returns the extra part, and this is called change. Example: a bun costs $3; you pay with a $10 note, and 10 is greater than 3, so the shop returns $7. If the price equals what you pay, say a $10 thing paid with a $10 note, no change is needed. Before paying, estimate the price and check whether the money you bring is enough. A common mistake is swapping the price and the payment and trying to take the bigger from the smaller; the sum must always take the smaller away from the bigger.
5. Step 5: Count the changeTo work out the change, take the price away from the money paid, and the answer is the amount to return. Example: pay $10 for a $3 bun and 10 - 3 = 7, so the change is $7; pay $5 for a $2 drink and 5 - 2 = 3, so the change is $3. After working it out, check by adding the price and the change back to see whether they equal what you paid: 3 + 7 = 10, and only then take the money. A common mistake is pocketing the change without checking; the habit of adding back keeps us from losing money.
6. Step 6: Check you have enoughBefore buying, count your own money first: you can afford the thing only when your money is greater than or equal to the price; if it is smaller, you cannot buy it. Example: you want an $8 ball but have only $5; 5 is less than 8, so the money is not enough. With $8 or more, you can buy it, and paying $10 for the $8 ball brings back $2 in change. A common mistake is remembering the price but forgetting to count your own money, and finding out in the shop that it is not enough; so count the money before leaving home.

4Diagrams Diagrams

5Worked example Example

6Common mistakes Mistakes

7Quick check Quick check

8Recap Recap

• HK coins: 10c, 20c, 50c, $1, $2, $5, $10.
• $1 = 100 cents (ten 10c).
• Count money by adding each coin.
• Change = paid - price.
• Check you have enough before buying.