Remember your Roman numerals?

Jeebizz · 09-28-2006, 10:27 PM

What are the highest value of Roman numerals that anyone here know?

As far as I can get, I know up to 39, though I am not sure ... XXXIV, and somehow I doubt XXXX is 40, or it might be, but I am just not sure.

zetabill · 09-28-2006, 10:32 PM

I = one
V = five
X = ten
L = fifty
C = one hundred
D = five hundred
M = one thousand

40 would be XL because, of course, it's ten (X) from fifty (L).

This year is MMVI

1989 was MCMLXXXIX
1999 was MCMXCIX

etcetra

All from memory too.

Jeebizz · 09-28-2006, 10:36 PM

I see......I never figured out what L C D and M were... doh...!

JBailey742 · 09-28-2006, 11:03 PM

so 39 is XIL? It doesn't look right, but maybe it is, or XXXIX? hmm..

rkelsen · 09-28-2006, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeebizz

As far as I can get, I know up to 39, though I am not sure ... XXXIV, and somehow I doubt XXXX is 40, or it might be, but I am just not sure.

XXXIV = 34
XXXIX = 39
XL = 40

And the year I switched to Linux was MCMXCIX.

Jeebizz · 09-28-2006, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rkelson
XXXIV = 34
XXXIX = 39

OH DUH! I got 9 (IX) confused with 4 (IV). I am really bad at this.

hand of fate · 09-29-2006, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zetabill

1989 was MCMLXXXIX
1999 was MCMXCIX

I never understand why these numbers are often written in this excessively long way. A far more consise roman representation would be "MLMXXXIX" for 1989 and "MIM" for 1999.

rkelsen · 09-29-2006, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hand of fate

I never understand why these numbers are often written in this excessively long way. A far more consise roman representation would be "MLMXXXIX" for 1989 and "MIM" for 1999.

Because both of those are against the rules.

M can only be preceeded by C
D can only be preceeded by C
C can only be preceeded by X
L can only be preceeded by X
X can only be preceeded by I

49 cannot be written as IL. It must be written as XLIX.

Watch for the dates at the end of movies to see some good examples.

pixellany · 09-29-2006, 09:34 AM

I don't understand ho I could have made it to 65 without ever actually reading the RULES for Roman Numerals......

8 = VIII
9 = VIIII or IX (both legal?)
1900 = MCM (MDCCCC also legal?)

How did they do:
negative numbers?
decimals and fractions?
complex numbers? e.g. what is the square root of -I?

I'll bet that programming their computers was a real nightmare....

Jeebizz · 09-29-2006, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by pixellany
9 = VIIII or IX (both legal?)

No 9 has always been IX.

Quote:

Originally posted by pixellany
How did they do:
negative numbers?
decimals and fractions?
complex numbers? e.g. what is the square root of -I?

I do not think the Romans had the concept of negative numbers, because that goes beyond zero to the left of the numberline, and AFAIK they also did not have the concept of 0. As far as decimals and fractions, I am not sure about that.

General · 09-29-2006, 09:59 AM

From Wikipedia, N = 0. (there is explanation of fractions as well)

Jeebizz · 09-29-2006, 10:05 AM

I stand corrected.... Sorry

hand of fate · 09-29-2006, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkelsen

Because both of those are against the rules.

M can only be preceeded by C
D can only be preceeded by C
C can only be preceeded by X
L can only be preceeded by X
X can only be preceeded by I

49 cannot be written as IL. It must be written as XLIX.

Firstly, who sets these rules, and who is bound by them?

Secondly, why make such rules? All these to do is make roman numbers unnecessarily long.

rkelsen · 09-29-2006, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hand of fate

Firstly, who sets these rules, and who is bound by them?

The Romans? I don't know. All I know is that these rules are standard usage of Roman Numerals.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hand of fate

Secondly, why make such rules? All these to do is make roman numbers unnecessarily long.

I'm guessing here, but possibly because (for example) IL is (or is close to) a definite article in many Latin-derived languages?

Refer to the dates at the end of movies (especially movies from the 1980s) for examples of some long Roman Numerals.