Teaching Resource
Decimals and Percentages Maths Investigation – Prepare to Party!
A mathematics investigation about decimals and percentages, embedded in a real-world context.
This open-ended mathematics investigation has been designed to deepen students’ understanding of decimals and percentages.
In this investigation, students must use their knowledge and understanding of decimals and percentages to plan an end of year celebration for their class. The party plan must adhere to a budget agreed to by the class, as well as a set of conditions laid down by the teacher. The students must use the party supplies catalogue provided to select food, party decorations and serving supplies for the celebration, then record all costings on the worksheets provided.
This teaching resource includes:
- teacher notes, detailing a range of important information about the investigation
- answers for all discount calculations
- a detailed description of the investigation for students, including step-by-step instructions
- party supplies catalogue
- various recording worksheets and party planning templates
- a checklist for students
- reflection questions.
Read more about using this resource to plan a real party in our blog Real World Mathematics | Exploring Maths with an End of Term Party.
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Victorian Curriculum alignment
- VCMNA215
Multiply decimals by whole numbers and perform divisions by non-zero whole numbers where the results are terminating decimals, with and without digital technologies
- VCMNA217
Make connections between equivalent fractions, decimals and percentages
- VCMNA218
Investigate and calculate percentage discounts of 10%, 25% and 50% on sale items, with and without digital technologies
- VCMNA250
Investigate and calculate 'best buys', with and without digital technologies
Australian Curriculum alignment
- ACMNA174
Investigate and calculate 'best buys', with and without digital technologies
- ACMNA132
Investigate and calculate percentage discounts of 10%, 25% and 50% on sale items, with and without digital technologies
- ACMNA129
Multiply decimals by whole numbers and perform divisions by non-zero whole numbers where the results are terminating decimals, with and without digital technologies
- ACMNA131
Make connections between equivalent fractions, decimals and percentages

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MathsFractions, Decimals and PercentagesMoney and Financial MathematicsMathematics InvestigationsProjectsOpen-Ended Tasks
Comments & Reviews
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Resource Updates
Corrected pricing discrepancy between flier and worksheets.
Fix by Kristian Nov 4th, 2018
Calculation error corrected in first row of table on page 11.
Fix by Stephanie (Teach Starter) Sep 13th, 2018
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Your example for the sale price on Party decorations and serving supplies is incorrect. (Should be $4.50 instead of $5.00)
Hannah Sargent · Sep 12th, 2018
Thank you so much for pointing this out to us, Hannah! This error has now been corrected and the updated resource is available for download. Have a lovely weekend!
Stephanie (Teach Starter) · Sep 14th, 2018
Also the price on the flier for streamers is $2 but the worksheet says $1.
Emilia Leonardi · Nov 5th, 2018