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GCSE Maths / Edexcel

Best value

Compare offers fairly by finding a unit price or scaling both options to the same amount.

Ratio, Proportion and RatesFoundation and HigherGrades 3 to 5Focused skill

Curriculum path: GCSE Maths > Edexcel > Ratio, Proportion and Rates > Best value

Pearson Edexcel GCSE Maths ratio R8 and R10: solve proportion and best value problems in context.

Practise this topicUpload your answerAsk AI to explain thisTry exam-style questions
Revision notes

Theory, examples, and quick checks.

Keep the method short, then practise straight away. This note is written for GCSE Maths Edexcel students who need clear working and reliable method marks.

Theory

Best value means the option that gives more for each pound, or costs less for the same amount.

A safe method is to find the cost for one item, one gram, one litre or one unit.

Make sure the units match before comparing. For example, convert kg to g if the other option is in grams.

Sometimes scaling both offers to the same quantity is quicker than finding one unit.

In Edexcel questions, write a short comparison sentence at the end, not just two calculations.

Key ruleCompare equal amounts or find the cost of one unit.

Worked examples

Unit price

6 apples cost 1.80 pounds. 10 apples cost 2.70 pounds. Which is better value?

  1. First offer: 1.80 / 6 = 0.30 pounds per apple.
  2. Second offer: 2.70 / 10 = 0.27 pounds per apple.

Answer: 10 apples for 2.70 pounds is better value

Same weight

500 g of rice costs 1.20 pounds. 1 kg costs 2.10 pounds. Which is better value?

  1. 1 kg = 1000 g.
  2. Two 500 g bags cost 2 x 1.20 = 2.40 pounds.
  3. 1 kg for 2.10 pounds is cheaper for the same weight.

Answer: 1 kg for 2.10 pounds

Compare per litre

2 litres cost 3.60 pounds. 750 ml costs 1.50 pounds.

  1. 2 litres = 2000 ml, so cost per ml = 3.60 / 2000.
  2. 750 ml option cost per ml = 1.50 / 750.
  3. Compare the unit costs.

Answer: 2 litres is better value

Common mistakes

  • Choosing the cheaper price without checking the amount.
  • Comparing grams with kilograms or millilitres with litres without converting.
  • Rounding too early and changing the comparison.
  • Forgetting to state which option is better value.

Quick exercise

Try these before moving to the exam-style questions.

  1. 4 pens cost 1.20 pounds. What is the cost per pen?
  2. 8 cans cost 4.80 pounds. 5 cans cost 3.25 pounds. Which is better value?
  3. 500 g costs 1.40 pounds. 1 kg costs 2.60 pounds. Which is better value?
  4. 3 notebooks cost 2.10 pounds. What is the cost per notebook?
  5. 2 litres cost 1.80 pounds. 1 litre costs 1.00 pound. Which is better value?
Exam-style questions

Practise the same skill at three levels.

These are original GCSE-style questions with mark schemes, common wrong answers, and AI marking guidance so feedback stays close to exam expectations.

Basic GCSE styleFoundationCalculator3 marks

Pack A has 4 batteries for 2.40 pounds. Pack B has 6 batteries for 3.30 pounds. Which pack is better value?

best valueunit pricecalculator ratio
Standard exam styleFoundation and HigherCalculator4 marks

Shop A sells 750 g of pasta for 1.35 pounds. Shop B sells 1.2 kg for 2.10 pounds. Which is better value?

best valueunit conversionproportion
ChallengeFoundation and HigherCalculator5 marks

A 250 ml bottle of shampoo costs 1.95 pounds. A 400 ml bottle costs 3.00 pounds. Aisha says the larger bottle is better value because it contains more. Is she correct?

best value explanationunit ratereasoning