nickel

Everyday

1. A nickel is a US (and Canadian) coin worth 5 cents. tree →
2. Nickel is also a hard, silver-coloured metal, a chemical element; magnets pull on it. tree →

In the lessons

In maths: a coin worth 5 cents; problems count nickels and find their value; mixed with pennies, dimes and quarters. In everyday life (USA, Canada): small change for a snack or a parking meter. In science: nickel is one of the few metals a magnet attracts (with iron and cobalt); it is used in coins, batteries and steel.

Examples

• Sam has 6 nickels. tree →
• How many cents are 4 nickels? tree →
• She paid with 3 nickels and 2 dimes. tree →
• A nickel is worth 5 cents. tree →
• Twenty nickels make one dollar. tree →
• A nickel is bigger than a dime but worth less. tree →
• Nickel is a metal that a magnet can pick up. tree →
• He found a nickel under the couch. tree →

Note

Hidden number: each nickel = 5 cents, so value = 5 × nickels. Trap: the number of coins is not the amount of money. 20 nickels = 1 dollar. Trap: a nickel (5¢) is larger than a dime (10¢), so size does not show value. Today's US nickel coin is mostly copper, only a quarter nickel metal. In the UK there is no nickel coin; the nearest is a 5p coin.