🧱 See It
Box A: $4 for 8 servings. Box B: $5 for 12 servings. Box B costs more overall — but that alone doesn't mean it's the worse deal. To really compare, find the price per serving.
✏️ Draw It
| Total Price | Servings | Unit Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box A | $4 | 8 | $0.50 |
| Box B | $5 | 12 | $0.42 |
Box B costs more in total, but less per serving — it's the better deal.
🔢 Write It
unit price = total price ÷ total quantity
Always compute the unit price for every option before deciding — never judge a deal by the sticker price alone.
💡 Worked Examples
Example 1 — Box A: $4 for 8 servings. Box B: $5 for 12 servings. Which is the better deal?
- Box A unit price:
$4 ÷ 8 = $0.50per serving - Box B unit price:
$5 ÷ 12 ≈ $0.42per serving - Compare:
$0.42 < $0.50 - Answer: Box B is the better deal, even though it costs more overall.
Example 2 — Store A sells 6 pens for $9. Store B sells 4 pens for $7, with a coupon that brings it down to $5. Which is the better deal?
- Store A unit price:
$9 ÷ 6 = $1.50per pen - Store B unit price (after coupon):
$5 ÷ 4 = $1.25per pen - Compare:
$1.25 < $1.50 - Answer: Store B (with the coupon) is the better deal.
🧠 Quick Reference
Unit price = total price ÷ total quantity. The SMALLER unit price is always the better deal, no matter which option has the bigger total price or the bigger package.