We just started learning about different numeration systems in my math for elementary teachers class to show us how difficult it is to add when you're first learning the numbers. In class, I got the concept, and I can do the basic problems as long as my notes are within arm's reach, but what's messing me up on the harder problems is that I'm not sure what place value the symbols fall into. In class, my teacher would put dotted lines between each place value so we knew what to add, but the book just mentions "subtle differences in spacing." I've uploaded the pictures I'm having trouble with:
The first one, with letters h-l, is just "Change to numerals we use", meaning the Hindu-Arabic system. I got all of them except for k and l, at which point I can't distinguish the place values and end up guessing (incorrectly) at the conversion. (According to the back of the book, k is 52 and l is 333, but I just don't get it!)
For number 12, I've tried all 3 and been wrong on each one. I converted DCCCXXIV to 824, which I believe is right, but I'm waaay off from the answer key. (The real answer is <^^^<<<<^^^^ (The little upwards arrows really should be going down, meaning 1 and also 60 in Babylonian.) For the Mayan to Roman number, I converted the number to what I thought was 490 (360 for the top + (6x20 = 120) for the middle, + 10 for the units place.) Thus, I converted to CDXC, but the real answer is CXXXI. The last one completely baffles me, but the answer is a line on top, a dot in the middle, and a line in the units place. I'm so confused - I guess I've learned my lesson on how hard it is when you first learn to add! If anyone could give me some hints as to how to tell the place values apart, I'd really appreciate it! Thank you!
The first one, with letters h-l, is just "Change to numerals we use", meaning the Hindu-Arabic system. I got all of them except for k and l, at which point I can't distinguish the place values and end up guessing (incorrectly) at the conversion. (According to the back of the book, k is 52 and l is 333, but I just don't get it!)
For number 12, I've tried all 3 and been wrong on each one. I converted DCCCXXIV to 824, which I believe is right, but I'm waaay off from the answer key. (The real answer is <^^^<<<<^^^^ (The little upwards arrows really should be going down, meaning 1 and also 60 in Babylonian.) For the Mayan to Roman number, I converted the number to what I thought was 490 (360 for the top + (6x20 = 120) for the middle, + 10 for the units place.) Thus, I converted to CDXC, but the real answer is CXXXI. The last one completely baffles me, but the answer is a line on top, a dot in the middle, and a line in the units place. I'm so confused - I guess I've learned my lesson on how hard it is when you first learn to add! If anyone could give me some hints as to how to tell the place values apart, I'd really appreciate it! Thank you!