What is 1776 plus 1499 and 1776 minus 1499 but working out both calculations entirely in Roman numerals with explanations?
Nowadays we would convert 1499 into Roman numerals as MCDXCIX which does not lend itself quite easily for the purpose of arithmetical operations but there is historical evidence to suggest that the ancient Romans would have worked out the equivalent of 1499 in an abridged format of IMD thus facilitating the speed and ease of both calculations as follows-MDCCLXXVI+IMD = MMMCCLXXV => 1776+(1500-1) = 3275MDCCLXXVI-IMD = CCLXXVII => 1776-(1500-1) = 277Note that if we were to arrange MCDXCIX as M+CD+XC+IX then they too would add up to IMD.QED