Remember: Rewards and zero deals are real offers, neither good nor bad. An offer is worth what is left after the fee and the end date, so read the small print first.
Read and answer
Read the story first, then answer.
Mo and Ines read the small printIn the pretend village of Maple Bay, Mo spotted a bright flyer that said, "A rewards card! One coin back for every twenty coins spent!" Say Mo spends twenty with the card, so the shop is paid in full, and the card gives one coin back, which is called cash back. Then Mo found a yearly fee of two coins in the small print, a price for having the card, used or not. Forty coins of spending brings two coins back, and the fee takes them, so spending less makes the card cost more than it gives. Ines wanted one more coin back, so she bought ten coins of snacks, and since that coin cost ten coins, cash back only helps on planned buys. Then Mo found a scooter for twelve coins, and the sign said, "Zero extra for four months! A zero percent deal!" Zero extra means no added coins, as long as the deal is followed, and Mo paid three a month: three, six, nine, twelve, and done in four months. Every deal has an end date, so Mo circled it on the calendar. The small print said that a coin left on the last day brings extra, which in this pretend deal is one extra coin for each month. Ines paid only two coins a month, and after four months she had paid eight, so four coins were still left. The shop added four extra, so now Ines owed eight, not four.
1
Mo spends 20 coins and 1 comes back (the crossed one). The coins really gone: 20 − 1 = .
2
Cash back is 1 coin for every full 20 spent. Look at the table. Spend 60 and coins come back.
3
Mo spends 40, so 2 coins come back. The yearly fee is 2 coins. Look at the scale: coins back on the left, the fee on the right. Mo comes out...
EvenAheadBehind
4
Ines says: I bought ten coins of snacks to win one coin back, so I saved a coin. Is Ines right?
YesNo
5
Mo pays 3 a month: 3, 6, 9, . The scooter is paid after 4 months.
6
Ines pays 2 a month for 4 months, which is 8 coins. The scooter costs 12, so coins are left on the last day.
7
The shop adds 1 extra coin for each of the 4 months. Ines owes 4 left + 4 extra = coins.
Match, sort and think
8
Join each way of paying the 12-coin scooter to what is owed when the deal ends.
13 a month
22 a month
31 a month
4Nothing
A16 coins
B12 coins
C0 coins
D8 coins
9
Circle every line worth checking in the small print.
The end dateThe yearly feeHow shiny the sale sign isThe rule for a coin left overThe color of the card
10
Number Mo's scooter deal.
Mo pays 3 a month
Mo circles the end date
Mo sees a scooter for 12 coins
The deal is paid after month four
11
Why can a bill that waits cost more than the coin back?
Waiting is always freeA few extra coins for waiting can outweigh one coin backCash back is paid in extra coins
12
Write two questions to ask before saying yes to an offer.
13
Draw a calendar with the end date of a deal circled.
Scan the code at the top to mark this sheet on screenTake a photo of your answers or type them. It is marked for you automatically, and your score is kept.
Answer key · Set A
Rewards, cash back and 0% deals
119 Cash back is a small discount on coins already being spent.
23 60 has three full twenties.
3Even Two coins back and a two-coin fee cancel out, so nothing is gained.
4No That coin cost ten coins. Cash back only helps on coins already planned for spending.
512 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 12, and nothing is owed at the end.
64 12 − 8 = 4.
78 4 + 4 = 8. The extra counts back to the start.
81-C, 2-D, 3-B, 4-A 3 a month clears it. Each coin missing leaves coins on the last day, and the shop adds 4 extra on top.
9The end date, The yearly fee, The rule for a coin left over The end date, the fee and the leftover rule decide what an offer costs. A shiny sign or a color does not.
102, 3, 1, 4 The scooter comes first, then the payments, the circled date and the end.
11A few extra coins for waiting can outweigh one coin back A bill that waits gets extra coins for waiting, and a few of them can easily outweigh one coin back.
12Your own words: a grown-up reads it.
Mark each answer, count the right ones and write the score on the sheet.