Last updated on May 26th, 2025
Roman numerals are a way of expressing numbers using symbols. I, V, X, L, C, D, and M are the symbols we use. Roman numerals are used in royal titles, book names, sequences, and so on. Here we will discuss Roman numerals, rules, and examples.
The royal titles, such as Henry I, Henry II, and so on. Have you noticed the names and wondered what these symbols (I and II) represented? Those are the Roman numerals.
Earlier, people used fingers, sticks, bones, etc., to count. When life became complex, a standard form was required for counting. Ancient Romans used the Roman numeral system to count. I (1), V (5), X (10), L (50), C (100), D (500), and M (1000) are the symbols we use to count.
In Roman numerals, we use CCXXXI to represent 231, where C is 100, X is 10, and I is 1. Let’s learn more about Roman numerals and how we write them.
There are certain basic rules to write a number in Roman numerals. In this section, let’s discuss some basic rules that need to be remembered when writing a number in Roman numerals.
The addition method is used when a smaller number is placed after a larger number. For example, CCXXXI → C + C + X + X + I → 100 + 100 + 10 + 10 + 1 = 231.
To write a large number, certain Roman numerals can be repeated up to three times. For example, III → 3.
If a small number is followed by a large number in Roman numerals, we subtract the smaller number from the larger number. For example, IX → X - I → 10 - 1 = 9.
The symbols cannot be repeated more than three times, and some symbols like V, L, and D cannot be repeated. For example, we won't write VV for 10; instead, we use X. For 8, we write VIII, not IIIIIIII.
Let’s now learn how to write 231 in Roman numerals. Follow these methods to write the number in Roman numerals.
In the expansion method, based on the place value, the number is broken down. In this section, we will learn how to write 231 in Roman numerals using the expansion method.
To write 231 in Roman numerals, follow the steps:
Step 1: Break the number based on the place value. Place values are ones, tens, hundreds, etc.
For 231, we write it as 200 + 30 + 1.
Step 2: Convert the numbers into Roman numerals.
Step 3: Combine the Roman numerals together.
Therefore, 231 in Roman numerals is CC (200) + XXX (30) + I (1) = CCXXXI.
When writing a large number into Roman numerals, we group the number.
To write 231 in Roman numerals, we group 231 as 200 + 30 + 1.
So, 231 is written as CCXXXI in Roman numerals.
Students make mistakes when writing a number in Roman numerals. To master Roman numerals, we can learn a few common mistakes and ways to avoid them.
A historian is cataloging ancient artifacts and finds CCXXI coins in one chest and X coins in another. How many coins are there in total?
The total number of coins is CCXXXI.
To find the total, we add the numbers:
CCXXI = 221
X = 10
221 + 10 = 231
231 in Roman Numerals is CCXXXI.
A museum receives a donation of CCCXXXI artifacts, which need to be distributed evenly across XXIII display rooms. How many artifacts will each room contain?
Each room will contain XV artifacts.
To find the number of artifacts per room, we divide the total number of artifacts by the number of rooms:
CCCXXXI = 331
XXIII = 23
331 / 23 = 15
15 in Roman Numerals is XV.
An ancient scroll mentions the year CC and a later year as CCXXXI. How many years passed between these two dates?
The number of years that passed is XXXI.
To find the difference in years, we subtract the earlier year from the later year:
CCXXXI = 231
CC = 200
231 - 200 = 31
31 in Roman Numerals is XXXI.
A mathematician is studying sequences and notes that one sequence starts at XI and ends at CCXX. How many terms are in the sequence if it increases by X each time?
There are XXII terms in the sequence.
To find the number of terms, we determine how many times X can be added to XI before reaching CCXX:
CCXX = 220
XI = 11
(220 - 11) / 10 = 20.9, rounded down to 20.
Including the first term (XI), there are 21 terms.
21 in Roman Numerals is XXI.
Convert the sum of 115 and 116 into Roman numerals using the expansion method.
The sum of 115 and 116 is CCXXXI.
Step 1: Convert the numbers 115 and 116 into Roman numerals:
115 - CXV
116 - CXVI
Add the numbers together: 115 + 116 = 231
Using the expansion method: 231 = 200 + 30 + 1 = CCXXXI.
Hiralee Lalitkumar Makwana has almost two years of teaching experience. She is a number ninja as she loves numbers. Her interest in numbers can be seen in the way she cracks math puzzles and hidden patterns.
: She loves to read number jokes and games.