Grades

3-5, 6-8, 9-12, Advanced

Brief Description
Students solve simple math problems using Roman numerals.

Objectives
Students will
 learn about Roman numerals.
 solve simple math problems using Roman numerals.
 create charts of Roman numerals and their Arabic equivalents.
 use an online Roman numeral converter. (optional)

Keywords
math, mathematics, Roman, numerals

Materials Needed[shopmaterials]
 Doing Math the Roman Way student work sheet (provided)

Lesson Plan
Introduce students to Roman numerals. The following resources can be helpful:

 Ask Dr. Math: Roman Numerals

 Roman Numerals 101
 On Roman Numerals
 Roman Numerals Lesson Plan

After students have developed an understanding of Roman numerals, introduce the Doing Math the
Roman Way student work sheet. Distribute a copy of this reproducible sheet to each student.

Extension activities:

 Have some fun with Roman numerals using the online Roman Numeral Converter. If a classroom
computer can be hooked up to a projector, you might use this tool to create a fun, whole-class
interactive quiz game.
 Make a list of places where you have found Roman numerals used.
 Create a chart of Roman numerals and their Arabic equivalents. For example, I = 1. Students
could create their own charts.
Assessment
Students correctly solve at least eight of the ten Roman numeral math problems on this lesson's
student work sheet.

Work Sheet Answers

1. XXI (21), 2. II (2), 3. XII (12), 4. XXXV (35), 5. VI (6), 6. C (100), 7. XXXI (31),
8. CLXXXII (182), 9. LX (60), 10. CDLXXXIV (484)
Table of Contents

Basics
How do I read and write Roman numerals?
What are the rules for subtracting letters? Can I write MIM? What about IIII?
How do I write large numbers?
Web resources: introductions, charts, calculators, and converters
Calculations
Did the Romans use fractions?
How can I use Roman numerals to do arithmetic problems?
Uses Past and Present
How did the Romans use math?
How are Roman numerals used today?
Resources for other numeral systems

[Top]

Basics

How do I read and write Roman numerals?

A numeral is a symbol used to represent a number. (Our digits 0-9 are often
called Arabic numerals.) Each letter used in Roman numerals stands for a
different number:

Roman Numeral Number

I 1
V 5
X 10
L 50
C 100
D 500
M 1000

. For A string of letters means that their values should be added together example,
XXX = 10 + 10 + 10 = 30, and LXI = 50 + 10 + 1 = 61. If a smaller value is
placed before a larger one, we subtract instead of adding. For instance, IV = 5 - 1
= 4.

You can use these rules to write a number in Roman numerals. Convert one digit
at a time. Let's try 982:
 982
= 900 + 80 + 2
= CM + LXXX + II
= CMLXXXII.

From the Dr. Math archives:

Numbers and Numerals

Roman Numerals
Roman Numerals
Converting from Hindu-Arabic Numerals to Roman Numerals
Is K a Roman numeral?

What are the rules for subtracting letters? Can I write MIM for 1999? What about
IIII for 4?

Here are the official rules for subtracting letters:

o Subtract only powers of ten, such as I, X, or C. Writing VL for 45 is not

allowed: write XLV instead.
o Subtract only a single letter from a single numeral. Write VIII for 8, not
IIX; 19 is XIX, not IXX.
o Don't subtract a letter from another letter more than ten times greater. This
means that you can only subtract I from V or X, and X from L or C, so
MIM is illegal.

These rules only became official in the Middle Ages. Even today, not everybody
follows them: you might notice that some clocks say IIII instead of IV.

From the Dr. Math archives:

Subtracting Roman Numerals

Subtraction Pattern for Roman Numerals

How do I write large numbers?

The biggest Roman numeral is M, for 1000, so one easy way to write large
numbers is to line up the Ms: MMMMMMM would be 7000, for instance. This
system gets cumbersome quickly. When they needed to work with many large
numbers, the Romans often wrote a bar above a numeral. The bar meant to
multiply by 1000. Using this method, 7000 would be
 Cardinal and Ordinal Numbers Chart
A Cardinal Number is a number that says how many of something there are,
such as one, two, three, four, five.

An Ordinal Number is a number that tells the position of something in a list,

such as 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th etc.

Most ordinal numbers end in "th" except for:

 one ⇒ first (1st)

 two ⇒ second (2nd)
 three ⇒ third (3rd)

Cardinal Ordinal

1 One 1st First

2 Two 2nd Second

3 Three 3rd Third

4 Four 4th Fourth

5 Five 5th Fifth

6 Six 6th Sixth

7 Seven 7th Seventh

8 Eight 8th Eighth

9 Nine 9th Ninth

10 Ten 10th Tenth

11 Eleven 11th Eleventh

12 Twelve 12th Twelfth

13 Thirteen 13th Thirteenth

14 Fourteen 14th Fourteenth

15 Fifteen 15th Fifteenth

16 Sixteen 16th Sixteenth

17 Seventeen 17th Seventeenth

18 Eighteen 18th Eighteenth

19 Nineteen 19th Nineteenth

20 Twenty 20th Twentieth

21 Twenty one 21st Twenty-first

22 Twenty two 22nd Twenty-second

23 Twenty three 23rd Twenty-third

24 Twenty four 24th Twenty-fourth

25 Twenty five 25th Twenty-fifth

… … … …

30 Thirty 30th Thirtieth

31 Thirty one 31st Thirty-first

… … … …

40 Forty 40th Fortieth

50 Fifty 50th Fiftieth

 60 Sixty 60th Sixtieth

70 Seventy 70th Seventieth

80 Eighty 80th Eightieth

90 Ninety 90th Ninetieth

100 One hundred 100th Hundredth

1000 One thousand 1000th Thousandth