AC9M3M06 • Year 3 Maths

The relationships between dollars and cents and represent money values...: Year 3 Maths topic guide

recognise the relationships between dollars and cents and represent money values in different ways

What students learn in AC9M3M06

This unit helps students build a clear, usable understanding of The relationships between dollars and cents and represent money values.... The goal is not to memorise one answer pattern. Students should be able to explain the idea, recognise it in a new example and apply it in a short practice or worksheet task.

  • Start with the main idea: recognise the relationships between dollars and cents and represent money values in different ways.
  • Use concrete examples, pictures, oral explanation and short written responses before moving to independent practice.
  • investigating the relationship between dollars and cents, using physical or virtual materials to make different combinations of the same amount of money representing money amounts in different ways using knowledge of part-part-whole relationships; for example, knowing that \$1 is equal to 100 cents; representing \$1.85 as \$1 + 50c + 20c + 10c + 5c or 50c + 50c + 50c + 10c + 10c + 10c + 5c; when calculating change from buying an item for \$1.30 from \$2, starting from \$1.30 add 20c and 50c which gives \$2
  • Finish with mixed questions so students must choose the correct strategy rather than copy the last example.

Curriculum coverage and elaborations

The content description and elaborations below show the curriculum ideas taught in this unit. Items marked as teaching context support lesson planning but may not appear in the initial eight-question activity.

  • Content description: recognise the relationships between dollars and cents and represent money values in different ways
  • E1: investigating the relationship between dollars and cents, using physical or virtual materials to make different combinations of the same amount of money
  • E2: representing money amounts in different ways using knowledge of part-part-whole relationships; for example, knowing that \$1 is equal to 100 cents; representing \$1.85 as \$1 + 50c + 20c + 10c + 5c or 50c + 50c + 50c + 10c + 10c + 10c + 5c; when calculating change from buying an item for \$1.30 from \$2, starting from \$1.30 add 20c and 50c which gives \$2
  • E3: representing money values in multiple ways when role-playing money transactions; for example, using play money to represent the coins and dollars you could use to pay for items

How to use this unit

Read the topic guide, use the teacher slide for instruction, then complete the Worksheet, Practice and Test. These three activities use the same eight-question unit bank.

Teacher resource

AC9M3M06 teacher slide

Use this one-page PDF to introduce the key idea, vocabulary and teaching sequence before students begin the activities.

Open teacher slide (PDF)

Common mistakes to watch for

  • Rushing to a rule before checking the concrete model, drawing or number sentence.
  • Using the correct answer once but not being able to explain why it works.
  • Mixing up similar vocabulary such as more/less, before/after, longer/shorter or equal groups/sharing.

International curriculum mapping

This table gives closest-topic mapping for search and planning. The Australian Curriculum code is exact; overseas entries are broad equivalents because each jurisdiction structures outcomes differently.

RegionCurriculumClosest mapping
AustraliaAustralian Curriculum v9.0AC9M3M06 — recognise the relationships between dollars and cents and represent money values in different ways
VictoriaVictorian Curriculum F-10Year 3 Maths: closest match in Measurement. Use this page as a VIC-aligned practice and worksheet reference.
NSWNSW CurriculumStage 2 Maths: closest content focus for The relationships between dollars and cents and represent money values... and related outcomes.
United StatesCommon Core / NGSSGrade 3 Common Core Mathematics/ELA closest topic match for The relationships between dollars and cents and represent money values....
England / UKNational CurriculumKey Stage 2 / Year 3: closest programme-of-study match for The relationships between dollars and cents and represent money values....
CanadaProvincial and territory curriculaGrade 3 closest topic match. Canada varies by province, so use this as a broad Ontario/BC-style learning outcome reference.
New ZealandNew Zealand CurriculumLevel 2 Maths: closest achievement-objective topic for The relationships between dollars and cents and represent money values....
IndiaNCERT / CBSEClass 3 closest NCERT/CBSE topic match for The relationships between dollars and cents and represent money values....

Related Year 3 Maths topics

Official curriculum references