What are Roman Numerals?

Answer 1

Roman Numerals are what Romans used to use for numbers. Different symbols have different numeral values. For example, I = 1, V = 5, and X = 10. When these symbols are combined in different ways the other numbers are formed. There are several rules for the placement of the symbols.

1. You may place up to 3 of the same symbol adjacent to each other to indicate addition. For example: I = 1; II = 1+1 = 2; III = 1+1+1 = 3. Note that IIII is not proper because you may have no more than 3 of the same symbol in a row.
2. You may place a smaller symbol after a larger one to indicate addition. For example: V = 5; VI = 5+1 = 6; VII = 5+1+1 = 7; VIII = 5+1+1+1 = 8. Again VIIII would not be proper because there are 4 Is immediately adjacent to each other.
3. You may place a smaller symbol immediately before a larger symbol to indicate subtraction. For example IV = 5-1 = 4; IX = 10-1 = 9.

The basic numerals are:

I = 1

V = 5

X = 10

L = 50

C = 100

D = 500

M = 1000

If it has a line over it, it means multiply by 1000, like L, would be 50,000

Some examples of correct Roman Numerals:

III = 1 + 1 + 1 = 3

IX = 10 - 1 = 9

XIV = 10 + 5 - 1 = 14

XXXII = 10 + 10 + 10 + 1 + 1 = 32

LXIX = 50 + 10 + 10 - 1 = 69

MMVIII = 1000 + 1000 + 5 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 2008

MMIX = 1000 + 1000 + 10 - 1 = 2009

Here are some of the roman numerals:

1-I

5-V

10-X

20-XX

30-XXX

40-XL

50-L

60-LX

70-LXX

80-LXXX

90-XC

100-C

200-CC

300-CCC

400-CD

500-D

600-DC

700-DCC

800-DCCC

900-CM

1,000-M

The first few Roman numerals are: I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII, XIII, XIV, XV, XVI, XVII, XVIII and so on.