Welcome to the World of Hong Kong Money!
Hi there! Today, we are going to explore the paper money we use every day in Hong Kong. Have you ever looked closely at the colorful notes in your red packets or when you go shopping with your parents? Knowing our banknotes helps us become smart shoppers and great at counting!
1. Meeting the Banknotes of Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, we have many different paper notes. Each one has a different color and value (how much it is worth) so we can tell them apart easily.
The Different Values (Denominations)
- \( \$10 \): Usually green or purple/blue (these can be paper or plastic!).
- \( \$20 \): These are blue.
- \( \$50 \): These are green.
- \( \$100 \): These are red.
- \( \$500 \): These are brown.
- \( \$1000 \): These are gold/yellow.
Did you know? In Hong Kong, three different banks print our money! This means you might see two \( \$20 \) notes that have different pictures on them. Don't worry if they look a bit different! As long as they both say "\( 20 \)" and are the same color, they are worth exactly the same amount.
Key Takeaway:
Banknotes are identified by their color and the number printed on them. Even if the pictures are different, the value stays the same if the number is the same.
2. How to Read Price Tags
When you go to a toy store or a supermarket, you will see price tags. In Primary 2, we learn to read prices up to \( \$1000 \).
Reading the Dot
Price tags often have a little dot (a decimal point) in the middle. The number before the dot is for dollars, and the number after the dot is for cents.
Example: If you see a price tag that says \( \$23.50 \), you should read it as:
"Twenty-three dollars and fifty cents."
Example: If a tag says \( \$105.00 \), you just say:
"One hundred and five dollars."
Quick Review Box:
- \( \$9.50 \) = Nine dollars and fifty cents
- \( \$48.20 \) = Forty-eight dollars and twenty cents
- \( \$700.00 \) = Seven hundred dollars
3. Counting a Group of Money
Sometimes you might have a pile of different notes and coins. To find the total, follow these simple steps:
Step-by-Step Counting:
1. Sort them: Put all the same notes together in piles (all the \( \$100 \)s together, all the \( \$20 \)s together).
2. Start Big: Always start counting from the largest value note first. It's much easier!
3. Add them up: Keep a "running total" in your head as you go.
Analogy: Counting money is like climbing a staircase. You start with the big steps (like \( \$100 \)) and then finish with the tiny steps (the coins).
Common Mistake to Avoid: Don't mix up the green \( \$10 \) note with the green \( \$50 \) note! Always look at the number on the corner to be sure.
Key Takeaway:
Counting is easier when you start with the biggest notes and then add the smaller ones and coins last.
4. Exchanging Money
Sometimes we need to swap one big note for a few smaller ones. This is called money exchange.
Small Note Exchanges:
One \( \$100 \) note can be exchanged for:
- Two \( \$50 \) notes
- Five \( \$20 \) notes
- Ten \( \$10 \) notes
Big Note Exchanges:
One \( \$1000 \) note can be exchanged for:
- Two \( \$500 \) notes
- Ten \( \$100 \) notes
Memory Trick: Think of a big note as a "Parent" and the smaller notes as "Children." The "Parent" note is worth the same as all the "Children" notes added together!
Key Takeaway:
Exchanging money means swapping notes for different ones that have the same total value.
Quick Final Check!
Can you remember?
- What color is a \( \$100 \) note? (It's red!)
- How do you read \( \$52.50 \)? (Fifty-two dollars and fifty cents)
- If you have two \( \$50 \) notes, how much do you have in total? (\( \$100 \))
Great job! You are now ready to practice using Hong Kong money. Don't worry if counting big amounts seems tricky at first—the more you practice, the easier it gets!