They probably had algorithms for it, but even then it sounds challenging. Addition sounds easy and works mostly like how we do base 10 addition. I imagine they

They probably had algorithms for it, but even then it sounds challenging. Addition sounds easy and works mostly like how we do base 10 addition. I imagine they would first go for sub 5 part which is a bit exceptional and had to be manually. And then start grouping letters together like we do and create carries if they reach the next letter. Subtraction sounds harder. It sounds close enough to our base 10 system but borrowing from next digit is much more complicated. Like subtracting D-I (500-1). The answer is CDXCIX but I am not sure how I can go there. And now imagine this with more complex numbers But multiplication and division? in that weird base format? I won't even try Keep in the mind that they don't convert or even think numbers in base 10 system like we do.