Dollar : 100 cents
Quarter : 25 cents
Dime : 10 cents
Nickel : 5 cents
Penny : 1 cent

Initially there is some confusion since the quarter is exactly of the same size and shape as the Indian 50 paise coin.

In the USA, currency transactions usually involve the usage of more coins than in India. A one dollar transaction may be paid either with a one dollar bill, or some combination of coins that equals a dollar. One dollar is equal to 100 pennies, or 20 nickels, or 10 dimes, or 4 quarters, or any combination that equals a dollar.

American paper money is based upon the dollar. It is available in bills of one dollar, two dollars, five dollar, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 dollars amounts. Be aware that the two dollar bill is 'legal currency' and is spendable; but usually this is saved by coin collectors rather than being used by purchases.

Purchases of goods and services in the USA nearly always have taxes added to the purchase amount. These tax amounts vary from city to city and state to state. An item may sell for an even amount, say five dollars, but with a sale tax applied (say 8.25 %) you actually pay five dollars and forty-one cents ($5.41). This is one reason why coins are used so much.