, MIP1501
ASSIGNMENT 4
DUE DATE: 22 JULY 2026
Question 1 (24 Marks)
1.1. Response to a Parent on Why We Teach Ancient Number Systems (12 Marks)
Dear Parent,
Thank you for raising such an insightful and practical question. It is completely understandable
to wonder why we spend valuable classroom time on ancient Roman or Egyptian numeral
systems when our modern financial and scientific worlds run entirely on the Hindu-Arabic
(base-10) system. As an Intermediate Phase Mathematics teacher, I assure you that our
exploration of these ancient systems is not merely a history lesson. It is a highly deliberate,
CAPS-aligned pedagogical strategy designed to deepen your child’s conceptual understanding
of modern mathematics while showcasing its real-world relevance.
Regarding real-life relevance, we first look at decoding public and historical architecture. In
South Africa, many historic buildings, monuments, and cornerstones feature Roman numerals
to indicate their year of construction, such as the year 1994 represented as MCMXCIV on a
commemorative plaque. Without understanding this system, these historical markers remain
unreadable to our children. Furthermore, we navigate everyday objects using these systems.
Roman numerals are heavily featured on analogue clock faces, watch designs, the introductory
pages of textbooks, and in the titles of major cultural events like the Olympic Games or movie
sequels. Finally, this study fosters cultural and technological appreciation. Teaching these
systems helps learners appreciate mathematics as a dynamic, evolving human invention rather
than a static set of rules (DBE, 2011a). Showing how different cultures, such as the Egyptians
with their hieroglyphics or the Mayans with their base-20 system, solved the universal human
ASSIGNMENT 4
DUE DATE: 22 JULY 2026
Question 1 (24 Marks)
1.1. Response to a Parent on Why We Teach Ancient Number Systems (12 Marks)
Dear Parent,
Thank you for raising such an insightful and practical question. It is completely understandable
to wonder why we spend valuable classroom time on ancient Roman or Egyptian numeral
systems when our modern financial and scientific worlds run entirely on the Hindu-Arabic
(base-10) system. As an Intermediate Phase Mathematics teacher, I assure you that our
exploration of these ancient systems is not merely a history lesson. It is a highly deliberate,
CAPS-aligned pedagogical strategy designed to deepen your child’s conceptual understanding
of modern mathematics while showcasing its real-world relevance.
Regarding real-life relevance, we first look at decoding public and historical architecture. In
South Africa, many historic buildings, monuments, and cornerstones feature Roman numerals
to indicate their year of construction, such as the year 1994 represented as MCMXCIV on a
commemorative plaque. Without understanding this system, these historical markers remain
unreadable to our children. Furthermore, we navigate everyday objects using these systems.
Roman numerals are heavily featured on analogue clock faces, watch designs, the introductory
pages of textbooks, and in the titles of major cultural events like the Olympic Games or movie
sequels. Finally, this study fosters cultural and technological appreciation. Teaching these
systems helps learners appreciate mathematics as a dynamic, evolving human invention rather
than a static set of rules (DBE, 2011a). Showing how different cultures, such as the Egyptians
with their hieroglyphics or the Mayans with their base-20 system, solved the universal human
