Roman numerals

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I - 1

V - 5

X - 10

L - 50

C - 100

D - 500

M - 1000

Numbers are written as combinations of letters. Letters are written from biggest to smallest value. Instead of writing IIII for 4, IV is used. To "subtract," a smaller-value letter is placed before a larger-value letter. This done to make numbers smaller (e.g. IX instead of VIIII).

History

The ancient Romans developed a numeration system 3000 years ago. This system, now known as Roman numerals, lasted several centuries as the main numeration system. Today, Roman numerals are still used, but not as much as they were 3000 years ago.

Examples

513 - DXIII

99 - IC

2006 - MMVI

See Also

• Number systems