Adua is in grade 5. Before her half-term break, she learnt in her maths class about addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Madam Amina, her class teacher, told the class to ask their parents to help them apply these simple mathematical operations in their daily life at home over the weekend.

When Adua asked her dad for help, her father told her that they use addition, multiplication, and subtraction every time they go to the shopping center to buy things.Adua's father told her that every morning, when she is sent by your mother to buy bread, milk, tea leaves, and sugar, the shopkeeper will add the price of bread, tea leaves, and sugar.

Then he will subtract the amount from the amount you gave him to give you change.

To make Adua experience it for herself, her father asks her to write a list of school items she needed for the term as they return to school after the half-term holiday.

Here was the shopping list Adua gave her father in the evening. These were things her sister and she needed for the term.

8 exercise books,

2 pairs of socks,

2 boxes of colors,

a dozen pencils for art class,

2 colored marker pens

1 ruler.

Adua's father gave her 1000 shillings note to do her own shopping at Mr Kamau's store on Sunday to experience what he told her. Adua was very excited.




On Sunday, Adua and her sister went to the shopping centre. They gave Mr Kamau the list and a 1000 shilling note. After packing the items, Mr Kamau gave Adua the package and KSh 30 as balance.

Adua decided to buy sweets for her siblings. Adua asked Mr Kamau to write the price for each item on the list. According to the list, exercise books cost 50 shillings,1 pencil costs 10 shillings, a box of color costs 100 shillings, a marker pen costs 50 shillings, a pair of socks costs 50 shillings, and a ruler costs 50 shillings.

When she reached home, Adua showed her father the price list from Mr Kamua. "Father, I want to know how Mr Kamua used simple math operations when I paid for the items". Adua's father said, Mr Kamua multiplied each item by the price. Let me show you. For example, Mr kamau used multiplication to get the price of all the items.

For exercise books, 8 x ksh 50 =Ksh 400,

For colors, 2 x ksh 100 = Ksh 200,

For pencils 12 x ksh 10 = Ksh 120;

For rulers 2 x Ksh 50 = Ksh 100,

For Marker pens 2 x Ksh 50 = Ksh 100.

Rular 1 x ksh 50 =ksh 50

Then Mr Kamau added all the costs of the items.

400+200+120+ 100+ 100+50= ksh 970

He subtracted Ksh 970 from the Ksh 1000 note you gave him.

ksh 1000-ksh 970 = Ksh 30.

Mr Kamau gave you the balance, which you decided to use to buy sweets for your sister.

Adua was amazed at how selling and buying use math operations.

She can't wait to share with Madam Amina and her classmates on Monday. From that experience, maths operations looked simpler and easier when applied in everyday life. She can't wait to hear about her classmates' experiences.