Captivating Calculations: Using Medieval Money

In the Middle Ages, the kind of food and household items people owned was a distinctive feature of social hierarchy.  Depending on what class you were in depended on what you owned or ate. Medieval society was strictly divided into classes. In an age where famines were frequent and social hierarchies were enforced with violence, household items and food were an important sign of social distinction and possessed great value. Food was extremely expensive. If you were not nobility or clergy, many times you did not eat. When you did buy food, you had to look for the best deal. Many countries’ currency was called shillings.

1.A Swordsmith was selling 5 swords for 27.25 schillings. If you purchase them in his store instead of ordering them, you could buy 6 swords for 32.16 schillings. Which purchase has a lower unit price?

a. In the sword store

b. Ordering the sword

2. You want to buy a chicken. Which of the following has the lowest unit price?

a. 20 oz for 9.00 schillings

b. 16 oz for 7.39 schillings

c. 12 oz for 5.29 schillings

d. 5 oz for $2.39 schillings

3. A box of 15 mechanical clocks costs 2.40 schillings. At the same unit price, how much will a box of 40 mechanical clocks cost?

a. 4.80 schillings

b. 6.40 schillings

c. 5.90 schillings

d. 5.15 schillings

4. A toy store sells a collection of wooden dolls called poppets. 8 puppets cost 136 schillings. What is the unit rate price per poppets?

a. 15 schillings /toy

b. 22 schillings /toy

c. 12 schillings /toy

d. 17 schillings /toy

5. George buys a box with 15 toy soldiers for 3.10 schillings . At that unit price, how much would 42 toy soldiers cost?

a. 8.12 schillings

b. 7.86 schillings

c. 8.68 schillings

d. $6.20 schillings

6. You bought a 12-pound bag of oranges for 18.75 schillings. What was the unit price?

a. 0.64 schillings per pound

b. 1.56 schillings per pound

c. 1.73 schillings per pound

d. 6.40 schillings per pound

7. A 5-pound bag of rice costs 11.2 schillings. What is the unit price of the rice in schillings per pound?

a. 0.44 schillings per pound

b. 2.25 schillings per pound

c. 6.25 schillings per pound

d. 56.25 schillings per pound

8. Queen Victoria buys 2 bowls of vegetables. The total cost for both bowls is 10.30 schillings. Find the unit price of one bowl.

9. The cost of 9 cases of gun powder is 180 schillings. What is the unit rate?

10. Find the unit rate for the following: 6 schillings for 8 cartons of milk

Solutions

1. b
2. c
3. b
4. d
5. c
6. b
7. b
8. 10.30 shillings for 2 bowls. Each can bowl costs 5.15 shillings
9. 20 shillings per case
10. .75 shillings for 8 cartons of milk