GREEK ALPHABET AND NUMBERS SOLUTIONS

TASK 1 Translate these Greek numerals into Hindu-Arabic symbols

= 500 ρ ξ = 160 κ α = 821

TASK 2 Translate these Hindu-Arabic numerals into Greek symbols

47 = µζ 203 = sg or ςγ 555 = φυε 978 = οη

TASK 3 Compare Greek to Hindu-Arabic calculations

Sample problem: Twenty-three plus forty-eight

Calculation using the Hindu-Arabic system Calculation using the ancient Greek system

23 + κ +µ =ξ
48 γ + η = ια
71 ι + ξ + α = οα

TASK 4 Use Greek letters as pronumerals in geometry

θ = 60 θ = 80

CHALLENGE Research

1 To represent numbers larger than 999 in the Greek number system, the symbols from 1 to 9 were
given a superscript. Hence α = 1 and ι α = 1000 .
β
Anything above 9999 was written as such: 20 000 = M . The M below a number multiplied it by
ten thousand.

2 The expression ‘the alpha and the omega’ means the beginning and the end. Alpha is the first letter
of the Greek alphabet and omega the last.