The Ancient Egyptians (about 2000 B.C.) had a simple way of counting and recording numbers.

It was based very much like the decimal system the world uses today.

It is similar because it uses 10 as the important number. With decimal notation 10 units make 1 ten; 10 tens make 1 hundred; 10 hundreds make 1 thousand etc.

With Egyptian Glyphs 1 is represented by I; 10 is represented by ח;

100 is represented by ף

For example, the number 253 would be represented by

I I I ףף חחחחח

Resource Author: Ms Sam Stacey, Cherry Orchard Primary School, Birmingham

1) What numbers would be represented by:

a) IIII

b) II חחחחח

c) III ףףף חחחח

d) IIIIII ףףףףף

e) חחח ףףף

2) How would you write these numbers using Glyphs:

a) 32

b) 134

c) 261

d) 204

e) 520

Answers on the next slide

ANSWERS:

Question1

a) 4

b) 52

c) 343

d) 506

e) 330

Question2

• II חחח

• IIII ף חחח

• I ףף חחחחחח

• IIII ףף

• ףףףףף חח

ADDITION USING GLYPHS

Addition with Glyphs is relatively straightforward.

II חחח add III חחחחsimply becomes IIIII חחחחחחח

In Decimal Form: 32 + 43 = 75

I ףףףף חח add II ף חחח simply becomes III חחחחח ףףףףף

In Decimal Form: 421 + 132 = 553If you have 10 of 1 character you simply replace it with 1 of the next highest character.

IIIIIII ףף add IIIII ףף ח becomes IIIIIIIIIIII ףףףף ח

But IIIIIIIIIIII becomes II ח,

So IIIIIIIIIIII ףףףף ח becomes II ףףףף חח

In Decimal Form: 207 + 215 = 422

Questions on ADDITION USING GLYPHS.

For each of the following make your calculations using Glyphs then change your final answer to decimal form.

a) IIIII חחח add II חח

b) II ף חחח add I ףף חחחח

c) IIIIIII חחח add IIIII ף חח

d) III ף חחחחחח add II ף חחחח

e) IIIIII ףף חחח add IIIIII חחחחחחחח

f) IIIII חחחחחח add IIIII חחח

Answers on the next slide

Answers to Addition with Glyphs.

a) 57

b) 373

c) 162

d) 305

e) 322

f) 100

SUBTRACTION USING GLYPHS

Subtraction with Glyphs is relatively straightforward too.

IIIII חחחח subtract II ח

IIIII חחחח subtract II ח leaves III חחח

Decimal Form: 45 - 12 = 33

If there are not enough of a certain character to remove, then replace 1 of the next highest character with 10 of the smaller character.

III חחח subtract IIIII ח

There are not enough “I”s on the left hand side to take away so one “ח" is replaced with 10 “I”s.

IIIIIIIIIIIII חח subtract IIIII ח

IIIIIIIIIIIII חח subtract IIIII ח leaves IIIIIIII ח

Decimal Form: 33 - 15 = 18

Questions on SUBTRACTION USING GLYPHS.

For each of the following make your calculations using Glyphs then change your final answer to decimal form.

a) IIII חחחחח subtract III חח

b) IIIII ףף חחח subtract II ף חח

c) IIIII ףףףףף subtract IIIII ףף

d) III ףףףף חח subtract II חח

e) I חחחחח subtract IIIII חח

f) III ףף חחח subtract IIIIII ף חח

)g ףףף חחחח subtract ף חחחחחחח

h) I ף ח subtract IIII ח

)i subtract IIII ף

Answers on the next slide

Answers to Subtraction with Glyphs.

a) 31

b) 113

c) 300

d) 401

e) 26

f) 107

g) 170

h) 97

i) 96

MULTIPLICATION USING GLYPHS

Multiplication with Glyphs is more complicated than addition or subtraction but the method can be used to make multiplication with decimals easier.