What are Roman Numerals?
Roman numerals are a numeral system originating from ancient Rome, using letters from the Latin alphabet to represent numerical values. They were widely used throughout the Roman Empire and remain in use today for specific applications like clock faces, movie credits, and academic citations.
Basic Roman Numeral Symbols
- I = 1
- V = 5
- X = 10
- L = 50
- C = 100
- D = 500
- M = 1000
How Roman Numerals Work
- Addition: Symbols are added together (VI = 6, VII = 7)
- Subtraction: A smaller value before a larger one is subtracted (IV = 4, IX = 9)
- Repetition: Symbols can repeat up to 3 times (XXX = 30, III = 3)
- Position: Value depends on placement and context
Modern Uses of Roman Numerals
- Clock Faces: Displayed on analog clock dials
- Movie Credits: Production year shown as Roman numerals
- Chapter Numbers: Books and documents often use them
- Outlines: Academic and organizational hierarchies
- Copyrights: Years in copyright notices
- Historical Documents: Dating of ancient texts
Common Roman Numeral Examples
- XIV = 14 (X + IV = 10 + 4)
- MCMXCIV = 1994 (M + CM + XC + IV = 1000 + 900 + 90 + 4)
- CCCXXX = 330 (CCC + XXX = 300 + 30)
- MDCLXVI = 1666 (M + D + C + L + X + V + I)