Half Dollars and Dollar Bills ($1, $5, $10, $20) - Second Grade Mathematics
While everyday small purchases often use pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters, larger transactions require coins and paper currency with significantly greater value. The half-dollar coin bridges the world of change and paper money, while dollar bills allow you to carry hundreds of cents in a single crisp rectangular note. In this chapter, you will explore the 50-cent half-dollar coin, learn the values and historical portraits on $1, $5, $10, and $20 paper bills, and discover how to skip-count across currency denominations to calculate large sums with ease.
The Half-Dollar Coin: 50 Cents
The half-dollar is a large, impressive silver-colored coin worth exactly 50 cents (50c).
The Half-Dollar Coin:
Value: 50 cents (half of a dollar)
Diameter: Large (larger than a quarter!)
Front Face: John F. Kennedy (35th president)
Back (Seal): Presidential Coat of Arms (Eagle with Stars)
The Benchmark Halfway Point
A half-dollar is worth exactly half of 100 cents (1 whole dollar). Two half-dollars equal one dollar: 50c + 50c = 100c = $1.00. One half-dollar has the exact same value as: 2 quarters (25c + 25c = 50c) 5 dimes (10c x 5 = 50c) 10 nickels (5c x 10 = 50c) 50 pennies. Although half-dollars are less common in daily pocket change, knowing their 50-cent value provides an instant mental springboard when counting large amounts of change.
Paper Currency: United States Dollar Bills
Paper money in the United States consists of rectangular paper bills made from a durable blend of cotton and linen, printed with green and black ink.
United States Paper Currency Guide:
Bill: $1 Bill $5 Bill $10 Bill $20 Bill
Value: One Dollar Five Dollars Ten Dollars Twenty Dollars
Cent Value: 100 cents 500 cents 1,000 cents 2,000 cents
Front Face: Washington Lincoln Hamilton Jackson
Back Design: The Great Seal Lincoln Mem. U.S. Treasury The White House
The One-Dollar Bill ($1)
The one-dollar bill is the foundation of paper money, representing 100 cents. It features George Washington on the front. Having five $1 bills is equal to having one $5 bill.
The Five-Dollar Bill ($5)
The five-dollar bill is worth 5 dollars ($5.00), or 500 cents. It features Abraham Lincoln on the front and the Lincoln Memorial on the back. When you count $5 bills, you skip-count by fives: $5, $10, $15, $20, $25, $30.
The Ten-Dollar Bill ($10)
The ten-dollar bill is worth 10 dollars ($10.00), or 1,000 cents. It features Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury. Counting $10 bills mirrors skip-counting by tens: $10, $20, $30, $40, $50, $60. Two $5 bills can be traded for one $10 bill.
The Twenty-Dollar Bill ($20)
The twenty-dollar bill is one of the most widely used bills from automated teller machines (ATMs), worth 20 dollars ($20.00), or 2,000 cents. It features Andrew Jackson on the front and the White House on the back. Counting $20 bills means skip-counting by twenties: $20, $40, $60, $80, $100. It takes two $10 bills or four $5 bills to equal one $20 bill.
Skip-Counting Combinations of Bills
Just like counting mixed coins, counting collections of bills requires starting with the largest bill and skip-counting downward.
Counting a Wallet of Bills:
Collection: One $20 bill, two $10 bills, one $5 bill, three $1 bills
Step 1: Start with the largest bill ($20): Count: $20
Step 2: Add the $10 bills (count by 10s): Count: $30, $40
Step 3: Add the $5 bill (count by 5): Count: $45
Step 4: Add the $1 bills (count by 1s): Count: $46, $47, $48
Total Amount: $48!
The Universal Rule: Big to Small
Always arrange your paper bills from highest denomination to lowest denomination before counting. Starting with the largest bill creates a solid, stable running total that is easy to increment with smaller bills.
Practice Exercises
Exercise 1: State the cent value of a half-dollar coin, and list three different combinations of smaller coins that have the exact same value.
Exercise 2: Identify the portrait on the front of each of the following bills: $1 bill, $5 bill, $10 bill, and $20 bill.
Exercise 3: You have a collection of bills containing two $20 bills, one $10 bill, three $5 bills, and four $1 bills. Count the bills from greatest to least and state the total dollar amount.
Exercise 4: How many $5 bills does it take to equal the value of one $20 bill? Explain using skip-counting or multiplication.
Solutions and Explanations
Solution to Exercise 1: A half-dollar coin is worth 50 cents. Three combinations of smaller coins that equal 50 cents include: 2 quarters (25c + 25c = 50c), 5 dimes (10c x 5 = 50c), and 10 nickels (5c x 10 = 50c) (or 1 quarter, 2 dimes, and 1 nickel).
Solution to Exercise 2: The portraits on the front of the bills are: George Washington on the $1 bill, Abraham Lincoln on the $5 bill, Alexander Hamilton on the $10 bill, and Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill.
Solution to Exercise 3: Arrange and count from largest to smallest: Start with two $20 bills: $20, $40. Add one $10 bill: $50. Add three $5 bills: $55, $60, $65. Add four $1 bills: $66, $67, $68, $69. The total amount is $69.
Solution to Exercise 4: Skip-count by fives to reach 20: $5, $10, $15, $20. That required 4 counts. Alternatively, 4 x $5 = $20. Therefore, it takes exactly four $5 bills to equal the value of one $20 bill.