A Consumer Math Unit for Middle and High School
A Consumer Math Unit for Middle and High School
Teachers who need a consumer math unit for Grades 7–12 can use the Everyday & Financial Math Bundle: three units covering percentages and interest (discounts, sales tax and simple interest), business maths with the rule of three and percentages, and ratio, proportion and percentage. It is the math behind shopping, paying and borrowing, in printable units you can download today.
See the consumer math bundle →For a consumer math unit in Grades 7–12, the Everyday & Financial Math Bundle ($49.99) contains three units: percentages and interest (discounts, tax, simple interest), business maths with the rule of three and percentages, and ratio, proportion and percentage. Bought separately they cost $69.97, so the bundle saves $19.98. It covers these consumer math topics, not a full consumer math course or a full year.
The resources
Everyday & Financial Math Bundle, Grades 7–12
Start with the first resource; the others are optional add-ons. Open any cover for the full contents and price.
Everyday & Financial Math Bundle | Percentages, Interest, Ratio and Business Maths | 3 Units | Grades 7–12
Middle School Math Starter Bundle | Growing Math Kit, Fractions, Compass Constructions & Algebraic Expressions | Grades 5–9
Algebra 1 Pathway Bundle | Equations, Linear Functions & Systems, Quadratics | 3 Workbooks | Grades 7–10
Teach-Life-Balance: The Complete Time-Saving Course for Teachers (incl. Planner, Guides & Templates)
The real problem
What makes consumer math hard to teach
Consumer math sounds easy until you teach it. Students meet a 25 percent discount and subtract 25 dollars. They add tax to the original price instead of the sale price. They think a 10 percent rise followed by a 10 percent fall brings them back where they started. These are percentage mistakes, but they show up as wrong receipts, and adults make them too. The topic also sits in an awkward place in many schools. It might be a short unit in Grade 7, a semester elective for juniors, or a course for students who need a different path through math. The students range from those who handle percentages easily to those who still struggle with the idea of a part out of a hundred. The teaching challenge is connecting the arithmetic to situations students recognize: a sale rack, a restaurant bill, a savings account, a small loan. Practice sheets of bare percentages do not do that. Students need problems that look like the decisions they will make, and enough practice on the underlying ratio and proportion skills that the percentages actually make sense.
Why it fits
How the bundle covers consumer math
Each unit handles one layer of the math that everyday money decisions depend on.
- The percentages and interest unit covers discounts, sales tax and simple interest, the core consumer calculations.
- The ratio, proportion and percentage unit builds the reasoning that stops students subtracting percentages as dollars.
- Business maths with the rule of three gives a reliable method for scaling prices and quantities.
- The Grades 7–12 range lets you use it in a middle school unit or a high school consumer math class.
- Three separate units let you teach only the layer your students need.
- Bundled, the three units cost $19.98 less than buying each one individually.
Getting started
Your first two weeks of consumer math
A suggested sequence. The bundle has no built-in calendar, so adjust pacing to your class.
- Start with a real receiptShow a receipt with a discount and tax. Ask students to check whether it is correct. Their methods reveal who understands percentages and who is guessing.
- Secure ratio and proportionUse the ratio, proportion and percentage unit with students who struggled. A solid sense of proportion makes every later calculation easier. Others begin the percentages and interest unit meanwhile.
- Teach discounts and taxMove into the percentages and interest unit. Spend time on the order of discount and tax, since that is where most errors happen. Use real store flyers if you have them.
- Introduce simple interestUse the same unit for simple interest. Connect it to saving and borrowing, and ask students which side of the interest they would rather be on.
- Apply the rule of threeFinish with the business maths unit. Students use the rule of three to scale prices and quantities, a method they can use outside class. Ask for one example from home.
What to buy
What to buy for consumer math
The Everyday & Financial Math Bundle at $49.99 is the right fit for a consumer math unit and costs $19.98 less than the three units bought separately at $69.97. If you teach Grades 5–9 and students need fractions and expressions before percentages make sense, the Middle School Math Starter Bundle ($54.99) covers those. If consumer math leads into an Algebra 1 course, the Algebra 1 Pathway Bundle ($44.99) covers equations, linear functions and systems, and quadratics. TEACHMORE15 does not apply to these bundles.
Honest limits
What it does not cover
The bundle covers percentages, discounts, tax, simple interest, ratio and the rule of three. It does not cover budgeting, compound interest, credit cards, insurance or taxes on income, so a full consumer math course needs other material. It is three units, not a full year. No alignment to any standard is claimed; check the units against your own requirements. Sharing with colleagues needs a short message to Teach Lessons first. Within 7 days you can exchange it for store credit of equal value, not a cash refund.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Is this consumer math unit aligned to state standards?
No alignment or endorsement is claimed for any state standard or framework. The units are written for Grades 7–12 and cover percentages, interest, ratio and business maths. Compare them with your course or unit requirements and decide how they fit. Consumer math sits in different courses at different schools.
Does it cover compound interest?
The percentages and interest unit covers simple interest, discounts and tax. Compound interest is not listed in the product description, so plan that separately if your course includes it. Simple interest is a natural starting point, since students can see the interest grow by the same amount each period before meeting growth on growth.
Is it suitable for a high school consumer math class?
The bundle is written for Grades 7–12, so it can serve high school students. Look at the previews on the product page to decide whether the level suits your class. The ratio and percentage unit can serve as quick review for older students who need it, before moving to discounts, tax and interest.
Can I buy one unit only?
Yes. Each unit is sold separately. Together they cost $69.97; the bundle costs $49.99. If your students already handle ratio and proportion confidently and you only need discounts, tax and simple interest, the single percentages and interest unit may be enough. If you want the groundwork and the business maths as well, the bundle saves $19.98.
Can I use it for a whole semester elective?
It gives you three units, which is not enough for a full semester. Use it as part of the course and add other material for topics such as budgeting and credit. The three units can serve as the math core for the opening part of the course, with other topics added after.
What if it does not fit my class?
Within 7 days you can exchange it for store credit of equal value. It is not a cash refund. Look at the unit previews on the product page before buying, and compare them with the consumer topics your course requires. Credit can go toward another product, such as the Middle School Math Starter Bundle.
Teach the math behind everyday money
Open the product page to see the three consumer math units and their contents.
See the consumer math bundle →