When to Use Roman Numerals Instead of Numbers

Roman numerals have been around for a long time. In fact, as the name suggests, Roman numerals started in ancient Rome, between 900 and 800 B.C. They originated as a set of seven basic symbols for numbers. As time and language progressed, those markings transformed into the letters we use today. While it may seem strange to use Roman numerals when numbers can be used, knowing how to use them can come in handy. Roman Numerals in Everyday Life Roman numerals are all around us and youve almost certainly seen and used them, even without realizing it. Once you familiarize yourself  with the letters and their usage, youll be surprised at how often they come up. Below are several places that Roman numerals are often found: Roman numerals are often used in books, often to number the chapters.Pages in appendices or introductions are also numbered with Roman numerals.In plays, they separate acts into sections.Roman numerals can be seen on fancy clocks and watches.  Annual sporting events, like the Summer and Winter Olympics and the Super Bowl, also mark the passage of years by using Roman numerals.  Many generations have a family name that has been passed down and includes a Roman numeral to signify the family member. For example, if a mans name is Paul Jones and his father and grandfather were also named Paul, that would make him Paul Jones III. Royal families also use this system.   How Roman Numerals Are Made To write Roman numerals, we use seven letters of the alphabet. The letters, which are always capitalized, are I, V, X, L,  C, D, and M. The table below illustrates the value for each of these numerals. Roman Numeral Symbols I one V five X ten L fifty C one hundred D five hundred M one thousand Roman numerals are arranged and combined in a specific order to represent numbers. Numerals (their values) are added together when written in groups, so XX 20 (because 1010 20). However, one cannot put more than three of the same numerals together. In other words, one can write III for three, but cant use IIII. Instead,  four  is indicated with IV. If a letter with a smaller value is placed before a letter with a larger value, one subtracts the smaller from the larger. For example, IX 9 because  one  subtracts 1 from 10. It works the same way if a smaller number comes after a larger number, only one adds to it. For instance, XI 11 because X 10 and I 1, and 10111. 50 Roman Numerals The following list of 50 Roman numerals will help you learn how they are created. Numerals 1 to 10:1 I2 II3 III4 IV5 V6 VI7 VII8 VIII9 IX10 XNumerals 11 to 20:11 XI12 XII13 XIII14 XIV15 XV16 XVI17 XVII18 XVIII19 XIX20 XXNumerals 30 to 50:30 XXX40 XL50 L How to Memorize Roman Numerals Sometimes, using a different writing method can be tricky and you wont always remember which Roman numeral you need to use. As long as you understand the explanations above and recollect the simple overview in the table, with some practice, youll master the Roman numerals in no time. One additional method to anchor these different types of numbers in your memory is to use a mnemonic and put the letters into a more memorable sentence. For example: I Value Xylophones Like Cows Do Milk Or in reverse: My Dear Cat Loves Xtra Vitamins Intensely