What happens to your money when you shop? Students find out while researching the answers to these real-world, math-related questions.

In “Spending and Credit” (grades 5–8), an online learning activity from Scholastic’s Math Hunt series, students track down the facts they need to answer five math problems related to checking accounts, credit card fees, inflation, ATM machines, and savings.

The “Spending and Credit” activity tests students’ reading comprehension and Algebraic Expressions skills.

Sample Question:

When you use a check at a store, it goes through several steps to become actual money that is transferred to the store. In that process, which of the following comes last?

a.     Your check is presented back to your bank.

b.     Your checking account is debited and the money is transferred.

c.     Your check is deposited into the store’s bank account.

Learning Objectives

By participating in Math Hunt, students will:

• Practice problem-solving skills from the grade 5–8 math curriculum
• Explore topics from the grades 5–8 science and social studies curriculum
• Learn basic Internet research skills
• Develop an understanding of the construction of standardized test questions and multiple-choice answers

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