Question 1

What are the seven Roman numeral symbols?

Accepted Answer

The seven Roman numeral symbols: I = 1, V = 5, X = 10, L = 50, C = 100, D = 500, M = 1000. All Roman numerals from 1 to 3,999 are built from these seven symbols using additive and subtractive rules. The standard system stops at 3,999 (MMMCMXCIX) because there is no symbol for 5,000. Historical and medieval variations added a bar over a letter to multiply by 1,000 (V̅ = 5,000, X̅ = 10,000, M̅ = 1,000,000) but these are not used in the standard modern system.

Question 2

What are the subtractive rules in Roman numerals?

Accepted Answer

In Roman numerals, a smaller symbol placed before a larger one is subtracted: IV = 4 (5−1), IX = 9 (10−1), XL = 40 (50−10), XC = 90 (100−10), CD = 400 (500−100), CM = 900 (1000−100). Only these six subtractive combinations are used in standard Roman numerals. Rules: only I, X and C can be subtracted; I can only be placed before V and X; X can only be placed before L and C; C can only be placed before D and M. You cannot write VX (5 before 10) or LC (50 before 100) — these are invalid.

Question 3

What year is MMXXVI in Roman numerals?

Accepted Answer

MMXXVI = 2026. Breaking it down: MM = 2000, XX = 20, VI = 6. Total: 2026. Common recent years: MMXX = 2020, MMXXI = 2021, MMXXII = 2022, MMXXIII = 2023, MMXXIV = 2024, MMXXV = 2025, MMXXVI = 2026, MMXXVII = 2027, MMXXVIII = 2028, MMXXIX = 2029, MMXXX = 2030. Historical years: MCM = 1900, MCMXCIX = 1999, MM = 2000.

Question 4

Why are Roman numerals still used today?

Accepted Answer

Roman numerals are used in several modern contexts: (1) Clock faces — many clocks use Roman numerals, especially with IIII instead of IV (a quirk of clock-making tradition); (2) Movie and TV copyright dates — production companies traditionally display copyright years in Roman numerals; (3) Outlines and lists — Roman numerals mark top-level sections in formal outlines (I, II, III...); (4) Names and monarchs — King Henry VIII, Pope John Paul II, Super Bowl LVIII; (5) Volume and book numbering — Volume IV, Chapter XII; (6) Architecture and monuments — carved into buildings and monuments for aesthetic reasons. Roman numerals lend a sense of formality and timelessness.

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Roman numeral reference table

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Arabic	Roman	Arabic	Roman
1	I	50	L
4	IV	90	XC
5	V	100	C
9	IX	400	CD
10	X	500	D
14	XIV	900	CM
40	XL	1000	M
2026	MMXXVI	3999	MMMCMXCIX