Convert numbers to and from Roman numerals
Numbers above 3,999 use vinculum notation: a line above a numeral multiplies its value by 1,000.
So XLIXDCLXXV = 49,675.
Did you know?
Why the NFL Chose Roman Numerals
When the Super Bowl started in 1967, the game was played in January but belonged to the previous season. Calling it "the 1966 championship played in 1967" was confusing. Roman numerals solved this elegantly: Super Bowl I, II, III. No year confusion, and it made the event feel like something ancient and important. Marketing genius disguised as tradition.
Read more →The Clock Mystery
Next time you look at a clock with Roman numerals, check the number four. Most clocks show IIII instead of IV. Nobody knows for certain why. Some say it honors Jupiter (IVPPITER in Latin). Others argue it just looks more balanced opposite the VIII on the other side. Watchmakers have kept this tradition for centuries, and it remains one of the most charming unsolved mysteries in design.
Read more →Where do Roman numerals come from?
It is thought Roman numerals come from hand signals and tally marks. The stroke I represents a finger, the V represents the gap between thumb and fingers for five, and the X represents hands crossed for ten. The L, C, D, and M come from modifications of Greek letters like chi, theta, and phi to represent 50, 100, 500, and 1,000. Over time, these marks changed into the Latin letters people recognize today. There is no 0 in the Roman alphabet, as the concept for the number 0 didn't fully develop until India invented it around 600 CE / 10600 HE.