There are many reasons why everyday financial and numeracy skills are important:
1) to feel confident or less anxious
2) to save money when shopping
3) to understand household bills
4) to help children with their homework
5) to pay less interest on loans
6) to earn more interest on savings
7) to get a job, or a promotion
8) to enrol on a course
Standing on the inner boundary of Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Gurdwara, Southall 09 and 10 Dec 2023 offering flyers to the Sangat about free classes on "Everyday financial and maths skills".   Zoom in to read the posters in Punjabi and English.
Permjit Singh is a qualified teacher and academic mentor with a PhD in finance.
 
He offers free help in English and Punjabi to adults who want to improve their everyday skills.

FREE maths surgery to improve your everyday financial and maths skills


Maths Surgery held at:
Northolt library each Friday 11:00-12:00pm
​(discontinued until further notice)

Numeracy class held at:
Lido Center West Ealing each Wednesday and Friday 1:00-2:00pm (for benefits claimants or enquirers)

Free help for adults on: CV preparation, digital skills, and everyday numeracy.  Courses available in Southall, West Ealing, or Northolt library.

Contact Permjit Singh for further information. 

    Contact Dr Singh
Of all elements, the most significant is the element of knowledge. (SGGS 152)

"Vidiaa veechaaree tan parupkaaree”. That education is
good, which is used for the welfare of people. (Guru Nanak Dev Ji, 356)

ਵਿਦਿਆ ਵੀਚਾਰੀ ਤਾਂ ਪਰਉਪਕਾਰੀ ॥
vidhiaa veechaaree taa(n) paraupakaaree ||
Contemplate and reflect upon knowledge, and you will become a benefactor to others. (SGGS, 356)

Questions involving everyday financial and numeracy skills.
Send your answers to Dr Singh

  1. Which is better value: 2 pounds or a kilo of potatoes, each priced at £1.50?
  2. Which saves more money: 50% off a £30 handbag, or 20% off an £80 handbag?
  3. Lentils are sold in 3 weights: 500g for £2.50; 750g for £3.25; 1.5Kg for £7.  Which weight is the best value?
  4. What is 1/4 plus 1/3?
  5. What is 1-3+4?  a) -6  b) 6  c) 2  d) 0
  6. Which is the ideal blood pressure: a) 80/110  b) 130/85  c) 150/95?
  7. How can you measure exactly 4 litres of milk using only empty 5 or 3 litre jugs?
  8. Which loan costs more: 5% per annum compounded semi-annually, or 5% per annum compounded annually?
  9. Which is the better value offer for flour sold in 1Kg bags at £1.50 each:  "3 bags for the price of 2" OR "buy 1 bag and get the second bag half price"?
  10. At an exchange rate of £1:Rupee 105, how many Rupees will £50 buy?
  11. Item A has a price of £50 more than item B, and their combined price is £51.  What is the price of item B?
  12. Is a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 35 healthier than a BMI of 19?
  13. How much more will you receive by the time you are 65, if you invest £2000 when you are 20 than if you wait until you are 30?  Interest is 5% per annum compounded annually.  a) £2000   b) £4000   c) £7000 more?
  14. Which investment incurs tax: a) ISA   b) bank deposit   c) pension contribution
  15. Which is longer:  a) 11mm  b) 1cm  c) 0.01m?
  16. How many 200ml cups can be filled with 1 litre of orange juice diluted at a ratio of 1:4 orange : water?
  17. A dog eats a third of a cake; a cat eats half of what is left.  What fraction remains?
  18. A cauliflower cost 95p but now it costs £3.99.  a) What is the % increase in its price?  b) How much higher (in %) is the current price versus the original price?
  19. A man spends £1000 per month supporting his family.  Inflation is 10% per annum.  How much must he spend per month so his family does not suffer from inflation?
  20. Flying 6322Km from London to Amritsar takes 8 hours and 15 minutes.  What is the average speed in Km per hour?  a) 566       b) 366     c) 766?
  21. Which is the cheaper way to  buy a car: a) pay £110 per month for a year plus a fee of £10 OR b) pay £1200 now to buy it, using a loan of £1200 repayable in 1 year with interest at 10% per annum? 
  22. A flight departs at 02:15 from London.  What will the local time be when it lands in Amritsar 8.25 hours later?  Amritsar is 5.5 hours ahead of London.
  23. A shop sells carrots at 20p for 400g.  What is a) the price per 1Kg and b) weight per £1?
  24. The maximum dose of paracetamol is 4g per 24 hours.  What is the maximum number of 500mg tablets that may be taken in 24 hours?
  25. What is a quarter of a half?
  26. 180Kg of concrete is to be made using 15Kg of cement, 85Kg of sand, 100Kg of gravel, mixed in the ratio 1:3:5.  What is insufficient and by how much?
  27. A deposit has grown from £100 to £300 in a year.  It has grown by a) 200%  b) 100%  c) 300%?
  28. Four builders would have built a house in 12 months, but one resigned.  The construction will now take: a) 8 months   b) 16 months  c) 18  months
  29. Gurmit takes 4 hours to lay a path; Harbans takes 2 hours.  Working together, how long will they take?  a) 90 mins   b) 100 mins  c) 80 mins
  30. Making 8 loaves of bread requires 5 cups of flour and 3 of water.  How many loaves can be made with 20 cups of flour and 15 of water?
  31. What is 4 - 2 + 6 x 8 ÷ 2  a) 0    b) 26   c) 20   d) -24
  32. A, B, and C share £500 in the ratio 3:5:2  What %, fraction, and £ does C get?
  33. Which is the bigger number a) 2.41 or  b) 2.409?
  34. Each of the 2 buses Ajit takes to get to work has a probability of being late of 80%.  If either is late, then he'll arrive late at work.  What is the probability he won't be late?
  35. Arjan wants to buy 1 acre of land and needs to convert this area into metric units.  He knows that 1 kanal (an area of measurement commonly used in Punjab) is 5445 square feet, and that 8 kanal is 1 acre.  How many square metres of land will he buy?  There are 3.281 feet in 1 metre
  36. Look at the electricity bill below.  Calculate the electricity charge, the standing charge, the total VAT separately, and also the total payable including VAT.  Assume the period of the bill includes the start date and the end date shown.  State your answers in pounds and pence rounded to 2 decimal places.
  37. A borrower took a loan for £2500 for 4 years at 8% per annum and compounded annually.  An arrangement fee of £500 was paid at the start.  He was late paying his interest so the bank charged him a £35 late payment penalty.  What was his all-in cost (as a %) for borrowing the money for the 4 years?
  38. What is 1/6 x 2/13 + 1/2 x 3/5?
  39. You're shopping for at least TWO pairs of training shoes.  Identical training shoes are on sale.  Sprintz is offering two pairs with the second pair at half-price. Footloose is offering 3 pairs for the price of 2 pairs.  Sprintz is selling one pair for £42, and Footloose is selling one pair for £48.  Which shop has the best offer?
  40. You want to buy 5 tickets to go to the fair.  Star Fair is offering 5 tickets including 3 at half-price.  Glitz Fair is offering 5 tickets including 2 for free.  Single tickets are £15 each at each fair.  Which fair has the best offer?
  41. An art gallery is offering the following ticket prices: Single adult £20; Single child £15; 2 adults & 2 children £60; Group of 8 (any age) £150.  Find the cheapest price for a) a group of 3 adults and 3 children  b) a group of 4 adults and 4 children    c) a group of 2 adults and 6 children  d) a group of 2 adults and 5 children  e) 1 adult and 7 children  f) 2 adults and 7 children
  42. You intend to pay out of your bank account £8 (in month 1), £85 (in month 2), and £33 (in month 3). What is the minimum constant amount you must deposit in your bank account at the start of each month so you do not go overdrawn in any month?
  43. You're going on a business trip and need to convert your £800 to USD.  Sainsbury's bank is quoting £1:$1.4523 and Tesco bank is quoting £1:$1.5523  Where will you get the most USD, and how much more?  On your return, you want to sell $150 for pounds.  Where will you get the most pounds, and how much more?