MDCCLXXVI <--- whats this number mean?

[Lonkut]

My knowledge in roman numerals has always been poor, so I ask: does this number mean 1776?

 

[~Corsair#01~]

If D=500, then yes. I can never remember, myself.

 

[BasketCase]

M=1000
D=500
C=100
L=50
X=10
V=5
I=1

If a smaller value is to the left of a larger one, it's subtracted. But since that never happens in this Roman number:

1776.

 

[Lonkut]

So what that doesn't mean 1776?
Shouldn't the whole number mean 152526? Or something like that?

 

[~Corsair#01~]

It's 1776. The number at the far left means it can't be more than 2000.

 

[The Last Conformist]

So what that doesn't mean 1776?
Shouldn't the whole number mean 152526? Or something like that?

Roman numerals are not position. When, as here, there are no subtractors involved, you simply add the values of the letters together: 1000+500+100+100+50+10+10+5+1=1776

 

[Erik Mesoy]

1000+5000+...

That would be 1000+500, as a matter of fact.

How the blazes did this thread get so long?

 

[The Last Conformist]

Damn tpyos!

 

[Lonkut]

Didn't the romans have a number bigger then 1000? Like one letter meaning 2000?

 

[The Last Conformist]

Can't recall seeing any ...

Actual maths were usually done in Greek numbers, which work fine up to a hundred million or so.

 

[MCdread]

Didn't the romans have a number bigger then 1000? Like one letter meaning 2000?

For 2000 it is MM.

 

[oagersnap]

Didn't the romans have a number bigger then 1000? Like one letter meaning 2000?

They sometimes used letters with horizontal lines above them, meanig that the number should be multiplied by 1000.

 

[Tomoyo]

Just M also meant "A heck of a lot".

 

[IglooDame]

http://www.onlineconversion.com/roman_numerals_advanced.htm

A "number" with a line over it meant multiply that digit by a thousand, also.

 

[PantheraTigris2]

'Roman numerals' are obslete, and should be banned from usage. A silly concept from the beginning, if you as me. Thank God (Allah? ) the Arabs invented something that actually indicates "an intelligent civilization was here" - for anyone that discovers our writings.

 

[The Last Conformist]

I thought it was common knowledge that the Arabic numerals weren't invented by Arabs, but Indians ...

 

[Aphex_Twin]

Didn't the romans have a number bigger then 1000? Like one letter meaning 2000?

They had a sign for 10,000 which looked something like this ((|)) and one for 100,000 (((|))) , but they're unusual (also, the old sign for 1000 was (|), later it was replaced with the more familiar M)

Normally you wrote something like 10,234 as MMMMMMMMMMCCXXXIV

 

[Mapache]

I thought it was common knowledge that the Arabic numerals weren't invented by Arabs, but Indians ...

From Wikipedia: Arabic Numerals

We have to thank the Hindu god.

 

[PantheraTigris2]

I thought it was common knowledge that the Arabic numerals weren't invented by Arabs, but Indians ...

Why don't you prepare a lengthy, in-depth essay on the history of their origin, and evolution, for all of us to study. I'll expect it by Friday. Thanks.

 

[The Last Conformist]

Why don't you prepare a lengthy, in-depth essay on the history of their origin, and evolution, for all of us to study.

I don't feel like it. The whole story should be found in any decent book of the history of mathematics anyway.