How to Study Roman Numerals for Interviews

Roman numerals from 1-12 written on sandy beach. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

Roman numeral is the number system that was used in ancient days. People used to make use of combinations of the Latin alphabet to represent values. These days, it is very beneficial to learn Roman numbers as it helps in becoming a more cultured human being. Roman numbers are being asked in a variety of competitive exams as well as interviews.  Hence, it is important to know about Roman numbers.

The Roman numbering system is based on adding value, where a certain number is formed by adding a few symbols and values. The large numbers under this system are not easily readable. New symbols must be invented. In the present number system, the number’s value is defined by the number of digits with separate positions. According to this system, the position of the number determines its value.

Most of us are not familiar with the significance of Roman numerals. A perfect example of this is learning Roman numbers. It is truly needed in education, as the students should have the knowledge for doing a correct conversion from Roman to decimal. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to study Roman numbers.

1. First of all, one should understand the basic symbols. Each symbol has a different value, which should be memorized by the order of the symbols as below- M = 1,000, D = 500, C = 100, L = 50, X = 10, V = 5, I = 1
2. Learn the numbers in ones place, which are denoted as follows – I = 1, II = 2, III = 3, IV = 4, V = 5, VI = 6, VII = 7, VIII = 8, IX = 9.
3. Similarly, learn the numbers in tens place, which are as follows – X = 10, XX = 20, XXX = 30, XL = 40, L = 50, LX = 60, LXX = 70, LXXX = 80, XC = 90
4. The numbers in hundreds place are denoted as follows – C = 100,  CC = 200, CCC = 300, CD = 400, D = 500, DC = 600, DCC = 700, DCCC = 800, CM = 900
5. One should know that they should not have more than three same symbols in a row.
6. Keep on adding small symbol values that are positioned after large values.
7. If the small symbol values are placed before large symbol values, then they should be subtracted.
8. Know about how the compound numbers and digits are written.
9. You can check your work progress by using an online conversion tool.

By following the above steps, you can easily learn Roman numerals.  As said above, you should attend interviews after gaining great knowledge over the Roman numerals. You need not have to do much preparation, if you have enough knowledge on the subject. All you need to do is demonstrate your skills. No amount of preparation can be a substitute for skills. This is the way people face technical interviews.

The Roman number system has survived for years and its existence depicts its importance in today’s modern world. Another great feature is the existence of numbers and alphabets as a single entity, which makes the two ideas inseparable. This system shows the actual meaning of preservation and quotes a perfect example. We can find Roman numbers in everyday life. The fact is that they are not outdated, but people like to consider the easy ones.

Author Bio – Stefani Cruise is a mathematician and an author. For better understanding of Roman numerals, you can read her articles and blogs. She loves travelling and has visited many countries. She believes that roman numbers are used to indicate the order of the family.