How to Read Roman Numerals

Reading Roman numerals is a basic skill that every student needs to acquire. Roman numerals, though not used in arithmetic, show up in many places, such as clock faces, chapter headings in books, official documents, video games and copyright notices. If you watch an old movie and want to know what year it was made, you will have to decipher the Roman numerals that appear at the end, such as MCMLVIII. Difficult though they may seem, Roman numerals are still a part of our culture, and therefore it is necessary to learn how to read them.

Instructions

1. Learn what each letter stands for: I is 1, V is 5, X is 10, L is 50, C is 100 and M is 1,000.

2. Add the numbers together if they are in decreasing value or are equal in value. For example, VI is read as 5+1=6, XVI is read as 10+5+1=16 and XXXVIII is 10+10+10+5+1+1+1=38.

3. Use subtraction if a number is less than the number that follows it. For example, I is less than V, so when I is in front of V, you subtract its value. Therefore, IV is 5-1=4, IX is 10-1=9, XL is 50-10=40 and MCM is 1,000+(1,000-100)=1,900.

4. Multiply the number by 1,000 if there is a bar over the top. For example, V with a bar over the top would be 5,000, and C with a bar over the top would be 100,000.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice reading smaller numbers before you tackle larger ones.