Saving Towards a Goal

To reach a goal, work out how much is left to save, then divide by the amount you save each time.

Primary
Updated 14 November 2026

What you will learn

Find how much is left to save.
Work out the time or the amount per week.
Show savings on a graph.

Before you start: you should be able to multiply and divide whole numbers and decimals. See Multiplying Prices and Sharing Bills.

The idea

A savings goal is a target amount. Saving means putting money aside regularly. The key question is how much is left and how long it takes to get there.

Saving £10 each week. The line goes up by 10 every week, so after 5 weeks you have £50.

Three questions

How much is left? Goal minus saved so far.
How long? Amount left divided by the amount saved each time.
How much each time? Amount left divided by the time you have.

Three goals with a saving plan. Divide the goal by the amount saved each time.

Worked examples

Example 1: How long

Goal £120. You save £15 a week.

$120 \div 15 = 8$ .

Answer: $8$ weeks

Example 2: Amount left

Goal £90. Saved £35. Saving £11 a week.

Left: $90 - 35 = 55$ .
$55 \div 11 = 5$ .

Answer: $5$ more weeks

Example 3: Per week

£200 in $10$ weeks.

$200 \div 10 = 20$ .

Answer: £20 a week

Tip: work out the amount left first. It makes every other step simpler.

Why it matters

Saving for a phone, a trip or an emergency uses the same few steps. For money that grows by itself, see interest and percentages.

Practice

Your turn. Type or choose an answer, then press Check. Getting one wrong is fine, that is what practice is for. You can try as many times as you like.