Example 1 · level 1 — a gentle start
In the number 91, what is the value of the digit in the units column?
- 1
- 0
- 3
- 2
Answer: 1 — The digit is worth its face value multiplied by 1.
11+ place value and roman numerals questions
Place value and Roman numerals comes up in the maths paper of every major 11+ format. Here is what the questions look like, the method that works under time pressure, and five worked examples with the full reasoning, from a gentle start to a hard paper.
Maths · examined by GL and CEM · 5 worked examples
What your child needs to know
- A digit's VALUE depends on its column. In 4,382 the 3 is worth 300, not 3.
- Roman numerals: M=1000, D=500, C=100, L=50, X=10, V=5, I=1.
Where marks get lost: A smaller symbol BEFORE a bigger one subtracts: IV is 4, IX is 9, XL is 40, CM is 900.
Worked examples
Every question below is generated by the same engine your child practises on, and every answer is derived by our checker rather than written by hand — which is why we can put them on a public page at all.
Example 2 · level 2 — typical of early practice
In the number 72, what is the value of the digit in the tens column?
- 7
- 10
- 70
- 2
Answer: 70 — The digit is worth its face value multiplied by 10.
Example 3 · level 3 — standard paper difficulty
Write 244 in Roman numerals.
- CCXLIV
- CCXLV
- CCLIV
- CCXLIII
Answer: CCXLIV — M=1000, D=500, C=100, L=50, X=10, V=5, I=1; a smaller symbol before a larger one subtracts.
Example 4 · level 4 — a harder paper
What number is DCCXCIII?
- 793
- 803
- 794
- 792
Answer: 793 — M=1000, D=500, C=100, L=50, X=10, V=5, I=1; a smaller symbol before a larger one subtracts.
Example 5 · level 5 — the level that separates candidates
Write 2389 in Roman numerals.
- MMCCCLXXXVIII
- MMCCCLXXXIX
- MMCCCXC
- MMCCCXCIX
Answer: MMCCCLXXXIX — M=1000, D=500, C=100, L=50, X=10, V=5, I=1; a smaller symbol before a larger one subtracts.
How to practise this at home
- Work in short, frequent sessions. Ten minutes daily beats an hour at the weekend, because the recall gap is what builds memory.
- Insist on written working, even for questions your child can do in their head — under exam pressure the method is what survives.
- When an answer is wrong, ask them to explain their reasoning before you correct it. The error is almost always in one step, not the whole approach.
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