just how important are roman numerals?

[micheller1]

my dd is just unable/unwilling(?) to memorize them. she thinks they are "stupid and pointless"....

[Daisy]

Well, as a bare minimum she needs to know 1-12 for clocks and outlining.

 

It is used to date older books & movies, but I suppose it is up to you whether you make her learn it.

 

My kids love it and have learned how to make numbers all the way to 1 million, but I think they are strange and unusual. :lol:

[Amy loves Bud]

You know, I learned Roman numerals in school, but all I ever remember is I, V, and X. I have to look it up every time I want to figure out a larger number.

 

That's happened about 5 times, I think.

 

Just make sure they get the general idea of how they work, then move on. Someday they may get motivated to figure out which Superbowl we're on, and they'll figure it out then.

 

JMHO!

[Kim in Appalachia]

Our math book spends a lot of time on those. I also tend to think they are "stupid and pointless", but I'm growing more fond of them. The reason is that the Roman numerals force the child to continually break the numbers apart. It becomes good, solid practice for math later on.

 

Since your dd is 6, she is probably just being difficult (my 5 year old son thinks every thing is stupid and boring). But you'll have to decide if it's worth the battle on this one. If you're using R&S you should do them, because they are in the textbooks every year.

[RhondaJK]

my dd is just unable/unwilling(?) to memorize them. she thinks they are "stupid and pointless"....

 

We hit these lessons in TT5 just before we went on our fall break. My DD9 was totally freaked and had a melt down over them. I think it was because of them not having a place value. I didn't worry about it because it was our last day of math for a month. I'm going to retry when whe start back in October using this webquest. http://www.adrianbruce.com/roman_numerals/roman_numerals.htm I'm not sure how much of it would be appropriate for your child but take a look.:001_smile:

[Sherry in OH]

You know, I learned Roman numerals in school, but all I ever remember is I, V, and X. I have to look it up every time I want to figure out a larger number.

 

That's happened about 5 times, I think.

 

Just make sure they get the general idea of how they work, then move on. Someday they may get motivated to figure out which Superbowl we're on, and they'll figure it out then.

 

JMHO!

 

:iagree:

 

Some standardized tests include Roman numerals. In daily life she is unlikely to need to know Roman numeral higher than XII. If she knows how the numbering system works, she can figure out larger numbers when she encounters them.

[Teachin'Mine]

She'll know when a movie was made. :) I think they're fun! You can have some fun writing some dates from history, or ones that are important to her, in roman numerals and letting her decipher them. I'm better at roman numerals than my daughter is - she memorizes them, and then forgets them.

[MSNative]

How important are Roman numerals? Meh, you can get by without them. However, I would be more concerned with the attitude. If this is a one time freak out, ok. Move on and go back to them another time. However, if this is a pattern, stick to your guns. Roman numerals are fast and easy to learn. Really, a done in a day assignment. There are harder things coming up that also seem pointless, so I wouldn't want to set up an expectation that you will skip topics she finds useless, kwim.

[anissa]

To know which Super Bowl you are watching? :001_smile:

[Jane in NC]

I will argue that a reason to learn Roman numerals would simply be to learn some mental flexibility. Too many students lock themselves into One Way of thinking about things, be it numerals, language or terminology. There is always more than one way to solve a problem. Sometimes when we learn that not everyone thinks like us or thought like us, out minds become less rigid and hopefully more creative.

 

Consider what the Romans built with their "stupid and pointless" numeric system. It was a step up from cuneiform! Perhaps your daughter could learn about hex or other bases. The Hindu-Arabic base 10 system is not the only way to think about numbers.

 

Jane

[Tap]

How old is she?

 

If she is in primary school, skip it and move on.

 

If she in 7th or higher. Set a simple goal of identifying 1-100. Then move on.

 

They aren't difficult for most people, but to others they just don't get it. I wouldn't make it a hill to die on. Even is she just barely gets it, I would be fine with that. I would ideally like my kids to know what they mean and to be able to do a basic math problem (to show they really do understand them) but honestly I would settle for my kids to know that they exist, what they are, and that there is a conversion.

[Dawn in OH]

my dd is just unable/unwilling(?) to memorize them. she thinks they are "stupid and pointless"....

 

Put it aside and try again next year. While they are useful to know, she has no need of them right now. Why put yourselves through unnecessary stress? In a year it might make a lot more sense to her.

[Mejane]

Put it aside and try again next year. While they are useful to know, she has no need of them right now. Why put yourselves through unnecessary stress? In a year it might make a lot more sense to her.

 

:iagree:

[radiobrain]

I am not going to argue about or even put in my two cents about roman numerals.

 

I will, however, give you a link to a great book about them, that you might enjoy. Check your library first.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Roman-Numerals-MM-Difficillimo-Computando/dp/0618153217/ref=tag_dpp_lp_edpp_ttl_in

[Mrs Mungo]

http://www.brainpop.com/math/numbersandoperations/romannumerals/preview.weml