Roman numeral for 70?

[JEDI]

LXX

or

XXXC

Which is it? and whats the standard rule?

 

[Steve]

LXX - the rule being that you only do a subtraction (smaller value on the left) when you're one place value short (eg. 9, 19, 29, 90, etc.)

 

[Ketteringo]

LXX

rule is least amount of characters

edit: haha, I just made up the least amount of characters rule. it's obviously untrue (VIII vs IIX?) but caused quite a bit of discussion! -1 flamebait

 

[Gunslinger08]

I prefer XXXCCCCDM

 

[paulney]

Sonz

 

[BrokenVisage]

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII = 70.

 

[JustAnAverageGuy]

LXX

 

[Steve]

Originally posted by: Ketteringo
LXX

rule is least amount of characters

No, that doesn't work. Look what happens if you try to do the number 1984 with that rule:

Normally: MCMLXXXIV

Least amt: MCMXXCIV

Does that second number even make sense? You can't put ten before one hundred.

 

[JustAnAverageGuy]

Originally posted by: sm8000
Does that second number even make sense? You can't put ten before one hundred.

90 is XC not LXXXX

 

[intogamer]

 

[Steve]

Originally posted by: JustAnAverageGuy

Originally posted by: sm8000
Does that second number even make sense? You can't put ten before one hundred.

90 is XC not LXXXX

I know, go look at the rule I mentioned in my first post

 

[mrSHEiK124]

LXX

 

[mrSHEiK124]

MCMLI
1951

 

[FoBoT]

you better ask a roman

go find an italian message board and ask there

good luck

 

[mrSHEiK124]

MCMXLVI 1946

 

[mrSHEiK124]

I'm flipping through my looney tunes DVD, and uh, shouldn't MCMXXXX be written as MCMXL?

 

[Elderly Newt]

Originally posted by: sheik124
I'm flipping through my looney tunes DVD, and uh, shouldn't MCMXXXX be written as MCMXL?

*nods*

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Perhaps this is why the Roman empire collapsed.

 

[Snapster]

Originally posted by: sm8000
LXX - the rule being that you only do a subtraction (smaller value on the left) when you're one place value short (eg. 9, 19, 29, 90, etc.)

 

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
Perhaps this is why the Roman empire collapsed.

that and the orgies/lions eating christians/etc/etc

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Originally posted by: FoBoT

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
Perhaps this is why the Roman empire collapsed.

that and the orgies/lions eating christians/etc/etc

It all falls back to the numbers...

I chirstian to the lions... ah ah ahhh
II christians to the lions... ah ah ahhh
III christians to the lions... ah ah ahhh
umm.. IIII christians...? IV christians...? Fvck it, throw them all in. PARTY AT MY HOUSE!!!

 

[dighn]

roman numerals are so silly

 

[Mark R]

Originally posted by: sheik124
I'm flipping through my looney tunes DVD, and uh, shouldn't MCMXXXX be written as MCMXL?

There was a popular belief at one stage that the use of subtraction from 5s was bad style.

E.g. It was preferable to write IIII instead of IV, or XXXX instead of XL.

This has largely fallen out of fashion these days. I'm not sure what the actual history, or reason for this preference was.

Edit: looks like the Romans were very lax about what they used - and generally avoided subtraction. The regular use of the subtraction forms seems to be a late 20th century preference.

 

[Pepsi90919]

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy

Originally posted by: FoBoT

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
Perhaps this is why the Roman empire collapsed.

that and the orgies/lions eating christians/etc/etc

It all falls back to the numbers...

I chirstian to the lions... ah ah ahhh
II christians to the lions... ah ah ahhh
III christians to the lions... ah ah ahhh
umm.. IIII christians...? IV christians...? Fvck it, throw them all in. PARTY AT MY HOUSE!!!

please die

 

[feelingshorter]

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
Perhaps this is why the Roman empire collapsed.

yep