How to Convert Roman Numerals: A Complete Guide
Roman numerals have been around for centuries and remain a fascinating part of our history. While they’re no longer used in everyday math, they still show up in surprising places—on clocks, book chapters, movie credits, and even in sports events like the Super Bowl.
If you’ve ever been puzzled by how to read or convert Roman numerals, don’t worry! This guide will teach you how to easily understand and convert Roman numerals to regular numbers (and vice versa).
What Are Roman Numerals?
Roman numerals are a number system that originated in ancient Rome. Instead of using digits like 1, 2, 3, Roman numerals use letters from the Latin alphabet to represent numbers. Here are the basic symbols:
| Symbol | Value |
|---|---|
| I | 1 |
| V | 5 |
| X | 10 |
| L | 50 |
| C | 100 |
| D | 500 |
| M | 1000 |
Rules for Writing Roman Numerals
- Additive Rule: Write symbols from largest to smallest, adding their values. Example: XII = 10 + 1 + 1 = 12.
- Subtractive Rule: When a smaller numeral appears before a larger one, subtract the smaller value. Example: IX = 10 - 1 = 9.
- Repetition: Symbols like I, X, and C can be repeated up to 3 times. Example: III = 3, XXX = 30. But don’t repeat V, L, or D (e.g., VV is invalid).
How to Convert Roman Numerals to Numbers
Let’s walk through an example. Imagine you want to convert XCIV into a number:
- Break it down: XC + IV.
- Convert each part: XC = 100 - 10 = 90. IV = 5 - 1 = 4.
- Add them together: 90 + 4 = 94.
How to Convert Numbers to Roman Numerals
Use this process to convert numbers to Roman numerals easily. Try using our Roman Numeral Converter to practice!