The grocery store offers a variety of consumer math project opportunities. Create a grocery list and a set list of pricing for various items. In the produce aisle begin with a multiplication problem. For example, grapes cost 89 cents per pound and you have 3/4 of a pound. How much will the grapes cost? Concurrently, shopping with a recipe in mind lends a chance to use division; if the recipe makes 12 servings and the student only needs four servings, how much product is needed? The shopping trip ends with an exchange of money in which the student figures the change.
Counting, tracking and saving money are covered in bank projects for consumer math. Set up a class bank and issue each student an amount of play money, a checking account and savings account options. Students can buy treats or cheats with money as well as earn additional funds for correct answers or good deeds. Each student is responsible for balancing his checkbook each day. Issue fines for over-drafting. Savings account options can have various interest rates depending on the initial deposit amount. Encourage students to compare rates and earnings potential based on deposit and contribution amounts.
Discounts and comparison shopping are learned through a consumer math project in the mall. Mark a sale price on a toy or a pair of designer jeans and have the students find the new price. Students can also learn comparison shopping skills. Create a list of similar products for students to compare, each with a different price and specification, such as: three separate mp3 music players that are made by different manufacturers, hold different levels of storage capacity and are priced differently. Which is the best deal?
Set up a classroom stock exchange and give each student a set amount of imaginary funds to invest. Encourage students to research familiar publicly-traded companies and their stock performance. Each student invests the imaginary funds into a selection of three companies and tracks the stock performance each day. Record the gains and losses in a personal stock portfolio. Set a percentage standard for loss or gain in value. Allow students to sell and buy stocks as needed.