Comparing Roman Numerals

In this lesson, we will learn how to compare Roman numerals. Roman numerals are letters from the Latin alphabet used to represent numbers. The key letters are:

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

Steps to Compare Roman Numerals

1. Identify the values of each Roman numeral.
2. Convert the Roman numerals to their equivalent Arabic numbers if necessary.
3. Compare the values using greater than ($>$), less than ($<$), or equal to ($=$).

Example

Let’s compare the Roman numerals XII and IX.

1. Convert to Arabic numbers:

   • XII = 10 + 1 + 1 = 12
   • IX = 10 - 1 = 9

2. Compare the values:

   • Is $12 > 9$? Yes.

Thus, we can say that XII is greater than IX, or mathematically, $XII > IX$.

Key Questions

• What are the values of the Roman numerals X, L, and C?
• How do you convert Roman numerals to Arabic numbers?
• What symbols are used for comparison in mathematics?

Keywords

• Roman Numerals
• Comparison
• Greater Than
• Less Than
• Equal To