Shift ciphers were used by Julius Caesar in Roman times. A key is a number that tells you how many letters you’ll shift in the alphabet. These are fairly simple to encode and decode. However, you have to be extra careful when encoding because mistakes can throw off the decoding process. Watch the video to see why it’s important to double-check your work!
Download Student Worksheet & Exercises
Do you see why it’s important to double-check the encoding? This is a simple code, but it’s easy to shift and end up with a jumble when your message is decoded. So always check your cipher with a practice decoding prior to sharing it.
Exercises
Use the key shift number 4 on the letters of the alphabet to code or decode the following:
Encode the following statement:
- OUR SCHOOL WAS THE BEST
- I WAS THE BEST IN MATHEMATICS
- I AM THREE FEET TALL
- OUR SCHOOL HAS GOOD TEACHERS
- COME TO MY RESCUE
Decode the following:
- SAWNA HAWRE JCXQZ
- SDWQE OQDAM PAOQE KJXQZ
- LHAWO AYKIA QKZWU
- EWIKJ IUSWU
- ODAEO WCKKZ OEJCA NMXQZ