Money
What the exam tests
Money tests calculations with Malawi kwacha and tambala: totals, change, unit price, profit and loss, and simple budgets in shopping situations.
Core rules
- 1 kwacha = 100 tambala. Write amounts consistently, for example MK2,500.50 means 2,500 kwacha and 50 tambala.
- To find total cost, multiply unit price by quantity and add any extra items.
- Change = amount paid − total cost.
- Unit price = total cost ÷ number of items. Comparing unit prices shows which pack is cheaper.
- Profit = selling price − cost price. Loss = cost price − selling price.
- Keep tambala as two decimal places when working with money.
Worked example
A pupil buys 3 exercise books at MK2,500 each and pays with a MK10,000 note. How much change is received? Total cost = 3 × MK2,500 = MK7,500. Change = MK10,000 − MK7,500 = MK2,500. The answer is MK2,500, not 2,500 tambala.
Traps that cost marks
Do not mix kwacha and tambala in one column without converting. Do not subtract the cost from the change; change is always amount paid minus total cost. Read whether a question asks for profit or loss, and remember that a negative profit is a loss. Check that a 'cheaper' pack is cheaper per item, not just cheaper in total. Do not drop the decimal point in money answers.