Page:Smith - Number Stories of Long ago (1919).djvu/53

 THE QUESTION BOX 1. In the days of Hippias what was used instead of paper for writing purposes?

2. Why did the invention of money make it necessary for people to know more about counting and about working with numbers?

3. Why were the numerals used by Hippias not so convenient as those which you use?

4. What does the word “alphabet” mean, and how is it connected with the expression “Learn your ABC's”?

5. Was Daniel’s way of writing numbers more nearly like that of Hippias or like the one used by Titus? Why was it not so good as ours?

6. Where have you seen the Roman numerals practically used, outside of your school work?

7. Why are the Roman numerals not so good for computing purposes as ours?

8. How many ways do you know of writing the number four in Roman numerals?

9. If you could not use our numerals, which numerals that you have read about would you prefer to use?

10. Titus and Caius found some amusing things connected with their numerals. Caius said he could show that half of twelve is seven. How did he do it? Can you, in the same way, show that half of thirteen is eight? 32