Quiz: Roman Numerals

Subject: Mathematics | Year: 4

Questions (Student Sheet)

Name: _________________________ Class/Set: ____________ Date: ____________

Q1: What is the number 49 written correctly using Roman numerals?

a) ☐ XXXXVIIII b) ☐ XLIX c) ☐ LIX d) ☐ IL

Q2: A historian is looking at a date carved into an old stone. It shows the number LXXIV. What is this number in our modern digit system?

a) ☐ 54 b) ☐ 64 c) ☐ 74 d) ☐ 84

⇨ The table below shows four different Roman numerals used in a maths game.

Card A	Card B	Card C	Card D
XL	LX	XC	CX

Q3: According to the table, which card represents the number 90?

a) ☐ Card A b) ☐ Card B c) ☐ Card C d) ☐ Card D

Q4: Which of the following is a common mistake when writing the number 40 in Roman numerals?

a) ☐ XL b) ☐ XXXX c) ☐ LX d) ☐ XX

Q5: If a clock shows the time using Roman numerals and the minute hand is pointing at IX, how many minutes past the hour does this represent?

a) ☐ 4 minutes b) ☐ 9 minutes c) ☐ 11 minutes d) ☐ 45 minutes

Score: _______ / 5

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⚠ TEACHER’S GUIDANCE

💡 Pedagogical Pulse

• Delivery Tip: When teaching Year 4, remind students of the 'Rule of Three'. Roman numerals generally do not repeat the same symbol more than three times in a row (e.g., 4 is IV, not IIII).
• Common Misconception: Students often try to subtract any smaller number from a larger one (like IL for 49). Remind them that they can only subtract I from V or X, and X from L or C.
• Oracy Link: Ask students to explain the difference between XL (40) and LX (60) using the words 'before' and 'after' to consolidate subtractive versus additive logic.

Answer Key & Explanations

Q1: b

Explanation: 49 is made of 40 (XL) and 9 (IX). You might have thought a was correct, but we do not use four of the same symbols in a row. You might have thought d was correct, but you cannot subtract I from L directly; you must build the number in tens and ones.

Q2: c

Explanation: L is 50, XX is 20, and IV is 4. When we add them together (50 + 20 + 4), we get 74. If you chose a, you likely forgot the two X symbols representing 20.

Q3: c

Explanation: The table shows XC on Card C. Because X (10) is before C (100), we subtract it: 100 - 10 = 90. Card A (XL) is 40, Card B (LX) is 60, and Card D (CX) is 110.

Q4: b

Explanation: Writing XXXX is a common error because it follows additive logic rather than the correct subtractive notation. In the Roman system, 40 must be written as XL (10 before 50).

Q5: d

Explanation: On a clock face, each number represents a 5-minute interval. IX represents the number 9. Therefore, 9 × 5 minutes = 45 minutes. If you chose b, you identified the numeral correctly but forgot to convert it into minutes on a clock face.