Reading Roman numerals, step by step
Roman numerals are the numbers on clock faces, book chapters and old building dates.
The question
XLVII
pieces:XLVII
pieces:XLVII
pieces:XLVII
XLreplacedXXXX
pieces:XLVII
values:40511
XLVII=47
- Split it into pieces before adding anything — most letters stand alone, but some come in twos.
- XL is a pair, not two letters each. A SMALLER letter in front of a bigger one is taken away: XL is 40 — not 60.
- That is also why four of the same letter never runs in a row. XL is what XXXX was replaced by — the pair exists so the fourth one never has to be written.
- Add the pieces up: 40 + 5 + 1 + 1 = 47.
How it works.
- 01
Split it into pieces before adding anything — most letters stand alone, but some come in twos.
- 02
XL is a pair, not two letters each. A SMALLER letter in front of a bigger one is taken away: XL is 40 — not 60.
- 03
That is also why four of the same letter never runs in a row. XL is what XXXX was replaced by — the pair exists so the fourth one never has to be written.
- 04
Add the pieces up: 40 + 5 + 1 + 1 = 47.