Despite the total dominance of Arabic numerals and the decimal counting system in our time, the use of Roman numerals can also be found quite often. They are used in historical and military disciplines, music, mathematics and other areas where established traditions and design requirements inspire the use of the Roman number system, mainly from 1 to 20. Therefore, for many users it may be necessary to dial a number in Roman expression, which can cause some difficulties for some people. In this material, I will try to help such users and tell you how to dial Roman numerals from 1 to 20, and also describe the features of typing these numbers in text editor MS word.

As you know, the Roman numerical system originates in ancient Rome, continuing to be actively used throughout the Middle Ages. From about the 14th century, Roman numerals were gradually replaced by more convenient Arabic numerals, the use of which has become prevalent today. At the same time, Roman numerals are still actively used in some areas, quite successfully resisting their translation into Arabic counterparts.

Numbers in the Roman system are represented by a combination of 7 capital letters of the Latin alphabet. These are the following letters:

• The letter "I" - corresponds to the number 1;
• The letter "V" - corresponds to the number 5;
• The letter "X" - corresponds to the number 10;
• The letter "L" - corresponds to the number 50;
• The letter "C" - corresponds to the number 100;
• The letter "D" - corresponds to the number 500;
• The letter "M" corresponds to the number 1000.

With the help of the above seven Latin letters, almost all numbers in the Roman numerical system are written. The characters themselves are written from left to right, usually from the largest digit to the smallest.

There are also two main principles:

How to write Roman numerals on a keyboard

Accordingly, to write Roman numerals on the keyboard, it will be enough to use the characters of the Latin alphabet located on a standard computer keyboard. Roman numerals from 1 to 20 look like this:

Arabic Roman

How to put roman numerals in word

You can write Roman numerals in from one to twenty and not only in two main ways:

1. Using the standard English keyboard layout, where Latin characters are represented. Switch to this layout, click on "Caps Lock" on the left to activate the capital letters mode. Then we type the number we need in letters;
2. Using formula set. We place the cursor in the place where you want to mark the Roman numeral, and click on the key combination Ctrl+F9. Two characteristic brackets will appear, highlighted in gray.

Between these brackets enter a combination of characters:

=X\* Roman

Where instead of "X" should be the number we require, which must be presented in Roman form (let it be 55). That is, now this combination with the number 55 we have chosen should look like this:

Then we press F9, and we get the required number in Roman numerals (in this case, this is LV).

Conclusion

Roman numerals from 1 to 20 can be written using just seven keys on your PC's English keyboard layout. At the same time, in the text editor MS Word it is also possible to use the formulaic set of Roman numerals, although, as for me, the traditional, alphabetic method, which is used everywhere, is quite enough.

In contact with

Roman numerals often cause us difficulty.
But it is customary to use them when numbering centuries and book chapters, when designating clothing sizes and steps in music.
Roman numerals are in our life. So it's too early to give them up. Easier to learn, understand and learn. What's more, it's easy.
So, to designate numbers in Latin, combinations of the following 7 characters are accepted: I (1), V (5), X (10), L (50), C (100), D (500), M (1000).
Why were Latin letters chosen to represent the numbers 5, 50, 100, 500 and 1000? It turns out that these are not Latin letters, but completely different characters. The fact is that the basis for the Latin alphabet (and it, by the way, exists in several versions - 23, 24 and 25 letters) was the Western Greek alphabet.

Thus, the three characters L, C, and M go back to the Western Greek alphabet. Here they denoted aspirated sounds, which were not in the Latin language. When the Latin alphabet was being formed, it was they who turned out to be superfluous. And they were adapted to denote numbers in the Latin script. Later, their spelling coincided with Latin letters. So, the sign C (100) became similar to the first letter of the Latin word centum (one hundred), and M - (1000) - to the first letter of the word mille (thousand). As for the sign D (500), it was half of the sign F (1000), and then it became similar to a Latin letter. The sign V (5) was only the upper half of the sign X (10).
In this regard, by the way, the popular theory that the name of the church office of the Pope (Vicarius Filii Dei), when replacing letters with Roman numerals, adds up to the “devil's number”, seems funny.

So, how to understand the Latin numbers?
If the sign denoting a smaller number is to the right of the sign denoting a larger number, then the smaller is added to the larger; if on the left, then subtract:
VI - 6, i.e. 5+1
IV - 4, i.e. 5-1
LX - 60, i.e. 50+10
XL - 40, i.e. 50-10
CX - 110 i.e. 100+10
XC - 90, i.e. 100-10
MDCCCXII - 1812, i.e. 1000+500+100+100+100+10+1+1.

There may be different meanings for the same number. So, the number 80 can be represented as LXXX (50+10+10+10) and as XXC(100-20).
Basic Roman numerals look like this:
I (1) - unus (unus)
II(2) - duo (duo)
III(3) - tres (tres)
IV (4) - quattuor (quattuor)
V (5) - quinque (quinque)
VI(6) - sex (sex)
VII (7) - septem (septem)
VIII (8) - octo (octo)
IX (9) - novem (novem)
X (10) - decem (decem), etc.

XX (20) - viginti (viginti)
XXI (21) - unus et viginti or viginti unus
XXII (22) - duo et viginti or viginti duo, etc.
XXVIII (28) - duodetriginta (duodetriginta)
XXIX (29) - undetriginta (undetriginta)
XXX (30) - triginta (triginta)
XL (40) - quadraginta (quadraginta)
L (50) - quinquaginta (quinquaginta)
LX (60) - sexaginta (sexaginta)
LXX (70) - septuaginta (septuaginta)
LXXX (80) - octoginta (octoginta)
XC (90) - nonaginta (nonaginta)
C (100) - centum (centum)
CC (200) - ducenti (ducenti)
CCC (300) - trecenti (trecenti)
CD (400) - quadrigenti (quadrigenti)
D (500) - quingenti (quingenti)
DC (600) - sexcenti (seccenti)
DCC (700) - septigenti (septigenti)
DCCC(800) - octingenti (octigenti)
CM (DCCCC) (900) - nongenti (nongenti)
M (1000) - mille (mille)
MM (2000) - duo milia (duo milia)
V (5000) - quinque milia (quinque milia)
X (10000) - decem milia (decem milia)
XX (20000) - viginti milia (viginti milia)
C (1000000) - centum milia (centum milia)
XI (1000000) - decies centena milia (decies centena milia)"

Elena Dolotova.

The Roman numbering system using letters has been common in Europe for two thousand years. Only in the late Middle Ages it was replaced by a more convenient decimal system of numbers, borrowed from the Arabs. But, until now, Roman numerals denote dates on monuments, time on clocks and (in the Anglo-American typographic tradition) pages of book prefaces. In addition, in Russian, it is customary to designate ordinal numbers with Roman numerals.

To designate numbers, 7 letters of the Latin alphabet were used: I = 1, V = 5, X = 10, L = 50, C = 100, D = 500, M = 1000. Intermediate numbers were formed by adding several letters to the right or left. First, thousands and hundreds were written, then tens and ones. Thus, the number 24 was depicted as XXIV. The horizontal line above the symbol meant multiplication by a thousand.

Natural numbers are written by repeating these digits. At the same time, if a large number is in front of a smaller one, then they are added (the principle of addition), if the smaller one is in front of the larger one, then the smaller one is subtracted from the larger one (the principle of subtraction). The last rule applies only to avoid the fourfold repetition of the same figure. For example, I, X, C are placed respectively before X, C, M to denote 9, 90, 900 or before V, L, D to denote 4, 40, 400. For example, VI \u003d 5 + 1 \u003d 6, IV \u003d 5 - 1 = 4 (instead of IIII). XIX = 10 + 10 - 1 = 19 (instead of XVIIII), XL = 50 - 10 = 40 (instead of XXXX), XXXIII = 10 + 10 + 10 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 33, etc.

Performing arithmetic operations on multi-digit numbers in this notation is very inconvenient. The system of Roman numerals is not currently used, with the exception, in some cases, of the designation of centuries (XV century, etc.), years AD. e. (MCMLXXVII etc.) and months when indicating dates (for example, 1.V.1975), ordinal numbers, and sometimes derivatives of small orders, greater than three: yIV, yV, etc.

We all use Roman numerals - we mark the numbers of centuries or months of the year with them. Roman numerals are on watch dials, including those on the chimes of the Spasskaya Tower. We use them, but we don't know much about them.

How are Roman numerals arranged?

The Roman counting system in its modern version consists of the following basic signs:

I 1
V 5
X 10
L 50
C 100
D500
M 1000

To remember numbers that are unusual for us using the Arabic system, there are several special mnemonic phrases in Russian and English:
We Give Juicy Lemons, Enough for Everyone Ix
We Advise Only Well-Brought-Up Individuals
I Value Xylophones Like Cows Dig Milk

The system of arrangement of these numbers relative to each other is as follows: numbers up to three inclusive are formed by adding units (II, III), - the fourfold repetition of any number is prohibited. To form numbers greater than three, the larger and smaller digits are added or subtracted, to subtract, the smaller digit is placed before the larger one, to add - after, (4 = IV), the same logic applies to other numbers (90 = XC). The arrangement of thousands, hundreds, tens and units is the same as we are used to.

It is important that any digit should not repeat more than three times, so the longest number up to a thousand is 888 = DCCCLXXXVIII (500+100+100+100+50+10+10+10+5+1+1+1).

Alternatives

The ban on the fourth use of the same number in a row began to appear only in the 19th century. Therefore, in ancient texts one can see variants IIII and VIIII instead of IV and IX, and even IIIII or XXXXXX instead of V and LX. The remains of this writing can be seen on the clock, where four is often marked with exactly four units. In old books, there are also frequent cases of double subtractions - XIIX or IIXX instead of the standard XVIII in our days.

Also in the Middle Ages, a new Roman numeral appeared - zero, which was denoted by the letter N (from the Latin nulla, zero). Large numbers were marked with special characters: 1000 - ↀ (or C|Ɔ), 5000 - ↁ (or |Ɔ), 10000 - ↂ (or CC|ƆƆ). Millions are obtained by double underlining the standard digits. Fractions were also written in Roman numerals: ounces were marked with the help of icons - 1/12, half was marked with the symbol S, and everything that was more than 6/12 was added: S = 10\12. Another option is S::.

Origin

On the this moment there is no unified theory of the origin of Roman numerals. One of the most popular hypotheses is that the Etruscan-Roman numerals originated from a counting system that uses notches instead of numbers.

Thus, the number "I" is not the Latin or more ancient letter "i", but a notch that resembles the shape of this letter. Every fifth notch was marked with a bevel - V, and the tenth was crossed out - X. The number 10 in this account looked like this: IIIIΛIIIIX.

It is thanks to such a record of numbers in a row that we owe a special system for adding Roman numerals: over time, the record of the number 8 (IIIIΛIII) could be reduced to ΛIII, which convincingly demonstrates how the Roman counting system got its specifics. Gradually, the notches turned into graphic symbols I, V and X, and gained independence. Later they began to be identified with Roman letters - as they were outwardly similar to them.

An alternative theory belongs to Alfred Cooper, who suggested considering the Roman counting system from the point of view of physiology. Cooper believes that I, II, III, IIII are graphic representation the number of fingers of the right hand thrown out by the trader when naming the price. V - this is a set aside thumb, forming together with the palm a figure similar to the letter V.

That is why Roman numerals sum up not only units, but also add them to fives - VI, VII, etc. - this is the thumb and other exposed fingers of the hand. The number 10 was expressed using the crossing of hands or fingers, hence the symbol X. Another option is that the number V was simply doubled, getting X. Large numbers were transmitted using the left palm, which counted tens. So gradually the signs of the ancient finger count became pictograms, which then began to be identified with the letters of the Latin alphabet.

Modern application

Today in Russia, Roman numerals are needed, first of all, to record the number of the century or millennium. It is convenient to put Roman numerals next to Arabic ones - if you write a century in Roman numerals, and then a year in Arabic, then your eyes will not ripple from the abundance of identical signs. Roman numerals are somewhat archaic. With their help, they also traditionally indicate the serial number of the monarch (Peter I), the number of the volume of a multi-volume edition, and sometimes the chapter of the book. Roman numerals are also used in antique watch dials. Important numbers, such as the year of the Olympiad or the number of a scientific law, can also be recorded using Roman numerals: World War II, Euclid's fifth postulate.

AT different countries Roman numerals are used a little differently: in the USSR it was customary to use them to indicate the month of the year (1.XI.65). In the West, Roman numerals often write the number of the year in movie credits or on building facades.

In a part of Europe, especially in Lithuania, one can often find Roman numerals designating the days of the week (I - Monday, and so on). In the Netherlands, Roman numerals sometimes represent floors. And in Italy, they mark 100-meter sections of the path, marking, at the same time, with Arabic numerals each kilometer.

In Russia, when writing by hand, it is customary to underline Roman numerals from below and from above at the same time. However, often in other countries, an underscore from above meant an increase in the case of a number by a factor of 1000 (or 10,000 times with a double underscore).

There is a common misconception that modern Western clothing sizes have something to do with Roman numerals. In fact, the designations XXL, S, M, L, etc. have no connection with them: these are abbreviations of the English words eXtra (very), Small (small), Large (large).