Smart Change Maker in Python

Level: Beginner

Your task for today is to create a smart change maker program that calculates the most efficient way to make change using the fewest coins possible. This project introduces you to algorithm thinking, optimization, and working with denominations.

Project Task

Create a change maker that:

• Takes a payment amount and purchase price as input

• Calculates the change owed

• Determines the minimum number of coins/bills needed

• Shows the breakdown of each denomination

• Handles different currency denominations (quarters, dimes, nickels, pennies)

• Works with both coins and bills ($100, $50, $20, $10, $5, $1)

Bonus (optional):

• Add support for international currencies (Euro, British Pound)

• Create a visualization showing the coins/bills

• Handle edge cases (exact change, no change needed)

• Add a “what if” feature to explore different denominations

This project gives you hands-on practice with mathematical operations, greedy algorithms, integer division, and problem-solving — essential computational thinking skills.

Expected Output

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