Roman Numerals Translation

Roman Numerals Translation

Counting 1-100 Using Roman Numbers

A quick tutorial in understanding numbers from ancient times ...

I will now count to 100 using Roman Numerals. Are you ready? Okay, follow along:

I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
IX
X

XI
XII
XIII
XIV
XV
XVI
XVII
XVIII
XIX
XX

XXI
XXII
XXIII
XXIV
XXV
XXVI
XXVII
XXVIII
XXIX
XXX

XXXI
XXXII
XXXIII
XXXIV
XXXV
XXXVI
XXXVII
XXXVIII
XXXIX
XL

XLI
XLII
XLIII
XLIV
XLV
XLVI
XLVII
XLVIII
XLIX
L

LI
LII
LIII
LIV
LV
LVI
LVII
LVIII
LIX
LX

LXI
LXII
LXIII
LXIV
LXV
LXVI
LXVII
LXVIII
LXIX
LXX

LXXI
LXXII
LXXIII
LXXIV
LXXV
LXXVI
LXXVII
LXXVIII
LXXIX
LXXX

LXXXI
LXXXII
LXXXIII
LXXXIV
LXXXV
LXXXVI
LXXXVII
LXXXVIII
LXXXIX
XC

XCI
XCII
XCIII
XCIV
XCV
XCVI
XCVII
XCVIII
XCIX
C

Notice how I have group the numbers in numbers in blocks of 10. Of course, the first 10 Roman numerals start with 1 and end with 10 and the second set starts with the 11 and ends at 20. Notice how there is a repeating pattern not only in the first two blocks of numbers but in all 10.

 

In other words, in the 2nd set of numbers are the same as the first except this 2nd group all start with an X. The rest of each Roman number is the same as the corresponding Roman numerals in the first set of numbers.

 

This is also true in the third set except these numerals all start wih 2 X's. The key here is 1 X equals 10 and 2 X's, of course, equal 20.

 

Now, look down to the fifth's block of numbers. These numbers count from 51 to 60. Notice they are the same as the second block of numbers only the first letter is an L instead of an X. This is because in Roman numerals, L represents 50.

 

After you examine the 4th and 6th blocks, you will probably notice that XL equals 40 and LX equals 60. I'll have a little more to anout this in the next few paragraphs.

 

In the 6th block of numbers each Roman numeral starts with LX. Because L equals 50 and X equals 10, these two letters, or numbers are added together making each number start with 60. Then the following numbers are all the same as in the first block of numbers.

 

Now it is easy for you to see how to count to 100 using Roman numerals. However, there is one more rule of Roman counting you must understand! All letters do not add together in Roman numerals. Yes, when a letter follows another letter and it represents a number lower than the one it is following, or the 2 letters are the same, these letters add. This is true when an X follows an X, or when an X follows an L. In cases like these (XX and LX) the letters add. So, you will end up with the numbers 20 and 60 respectively.

 

However, when a letter follows a letter and the second letter represents the higher value, the first letter is subtracted from the second. You see this happen in many times in these blocks of 10 where the letter I, which represents 1 precedes the letter V which represents 5. When this happens (IV), the 1 is subtracted from the 5 and the result is, of course, 4.

 

A little further studying will show you that it is this rule that makes the number 40 be 40 instead of 60 and the number 90 (XC) be 90 instead of 110.

 

For many of you counting to 100 is a full crash course in Roman numerology. However we have left out the letters D and M. These letters represent 500 and 1000 respectively. After all, without the letter M we could not see the year at the end of a movie or TV show. Since it is 2011, this year's the Roman numeral would show up as MMXI. Of course, if it was 20 years ago, or 1991, the Roman version for the year would read MCMXCI.

 

So, there is a little tutorial in Roman numeral translation for you. However, if you would like to get more deeply into it, I recommend you visit a great Roman Numeral Conversion calculator which can be found at: Roman Numeral Conversion