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Roman Numeral Converter

Convert between numbers and Roman numerals instantly.

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Number (1-3999)

Enter a number between 1 and 3999

History of Roman Numerals

Roman numerals originated in ancient Rome around the 8th to 9th century BC. They were the standard numbering system throughout the Roman Empire and remained in common use in Europe until the 14th century.

The system evolved from tally marks used by shepherds to count their livestock. Early Roman numerals used additive notation exclusively, but subtractive notation (like IV for 4) became common during the Middle Ages.

Despite being largely replaced by Arabic numerals, Roman numerals are still used today in specific contexts like book chapters, movie copyright dates, clock faces, and formal document numbering.

Basic Rules of Roman Numerals

Understanding these fundamental rules will help you read and write Roman numerals correctly:

Additive notation: When a smaller numeral follows a larger one, add them together (e.g., VI = 5 + 1 = 6)
Subtractive notation: When a smaller numeral precedes a larger one, subtract it (e.g., IV = 5 - 1 = 4)
No more than three of the same symbol can appear consecutively. Use subtractive notation instead (e.g., use IV instead of IIII)
Symbols must be written in descending order of value, except when using subtractive notation

Roman Numeral Symbols

The Roman numeral system uses seven basic symbols:

X10

L50

C100

D500

M1000

Common Examples

Here are some frequently used Roman numerals and their values:

IV4 (5 - 1)

IX9 (10 - 1)

XL40 (50 - 10)

XC90 (100 - 10)

CD400 (500 - 100)

CM900 (1000 - 100)

MMXXIV2024

Modern Uses of Roman Numerals

While Arabic numerals dominate mathematics and daily life, Roman numerals still appear in several contexts:

Academic and legal document outlines (I, II, III, IV, etc.)
Book chapters and volume numbers in publishing
Inscriptions on monuments, buildings, and memorials
Copyright dates in movies and television shows (MCMLXXXIV for 1984)
Clock faces, especially on traditional analog clocks

Limitations of Roman Numerals

Roman numerals have several limitations that led to their replacement by Arabic numerals:

No symbol for zero - the concept of zero didn't exist in Roman mathematics
Cannot represent negative numbers
Standard notation only goes up to 3,999 (MMMCMXCIX). Larger numbers require special notation
Cannot represent fractions or decimal numbers
Extremely difficult to perform arithmetic operations compared to Arabic numerals

Roman Numeral Converter

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