1. SECRETS OF ROMAN NUMERAL SYMBOLS
Roman Numerals have 2 parts and one is hidden. The hidden part is the
spoken word or written text that must match the value of the visible symbol or set
of symbols. The symbols are important for defining the value in a fixed
configuration and only one symbol or set of set. The language part must agree
with the value of the symbol. There are 20 or more numeral systems used in the
world today and all use this simple dogma one symbol or fixed set for a value with
matching words in the using language. The largest are Chinese Commercial,
Maylay-Persian, Arabic –Turkish, Indian (Sanskrit), Japanese-Korean &
Hyberdad Arabic: the system used by the European, Americas, & Australia is
Called Western but is one of 5 Arabic that use different symbol styles. The Roman
symbol system was commonly used in Europe states and their colonies until the
mid 1500s when the Western Arabic became more widely used free cities and
secular states. These lesser use systems are usually seen on coins and currency.
Roman Numerals have many unsupported claims widely stated in todays busy
world that include, It is a dead system seldom used; you can’t add or subtract them;
they don’t have any zeros; and they have no credible use. I can say without
needing any proof that they do have many used, manipulated, exposed and defined.
The uses include biblical (including the Latin Missal ), books, boats, Brazil;
calendars, clocks, coins, copyrights, currency; errors, games, law, medals,
medicines, months, religion, royal rulers, science, ships, software, tax forms of the
IRS, Titles watches, zeros, addition, subtraction and the beginning of Algebra.
A serious problem exists as some sources promote the use of what are technically
“Stylish symbols”, that originated in a p[publication that I have not seen but is
referenced in the modern source of these silly “Stylish symbols” found today in
Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language a
massive work found in the reference section of most public libraries under the
listing in the table of contents , “A MANUAL OF STYLE”. The stylish symbols
are found in this section of the total work and the list has many errors including
stupid directions. Here are the symbols that are errors in the listing.
IV for four LXXIX for seventy nine
IX for nine LXXXIX for eighty nine
XIX for nineteen XC for ninety
XXI for twenty nine XCIX for ninety nine.
XXXIX for thirty nine CD for four hundred
XL for forty CM for nine hundred
There are more in the list on the next page of this 1989 Edition of this dictionary
that I will list here as it list MM = 2000; MMM = 3,000 ; MMMM followed by
or an MV with a dash over it MMMM and either set =s 4,000 it then lists a V with

2. a dash over it =s 5,000; then an M with a dash over it =s 1,000,000.. In this
concoction the dash acts as an 8th symbol that has a floating value and is a math
process symbol too. Other stylish symbols sets listed for dates are MCM or
MDCCC for 1900; MCMX = 1910; MCMXX = 1920; NCMXXX = 1930;
MCMXL = 1940 ; MCML = 1950: MCMLX for 1960; MCMLXX for 1970;
and MCMLXXX for 1980.
The correct technique to determine the accuracy of a set of Rn symbols is to
add the values of the set like these examples : IIII is correct for four but IV
adds up to six. The list seems to focus on the #9 & #10 although the first symbol
set of the stylish type would have a similar number of applications in each
hundred symbols . for example IV; XIV; XXIV; XXXIV; XXXXIV,LIV; LXIV;
LXXIV, LXXXIV; LXXXIV FOR 94. These 2 style symbols iv & IX with there
variations create 20 errors in each 100 symbol sets and make any math accuracy
impossible.
An interesting real example was the stylish symbols used to promote this
year’s 48th Super Bowl with the symbols XLVIII instead of the correct symbols
XXXXVIII that add up to 48 as the 4 XS = 40 and VIII is the correct symbol set
for 8. XLVIII adds to 68 and is grossly wrong because XL adds to 60 plus VIII
totals 68.
I will add some big numbers to illustrate Roman math technology and the
impact of stupid stylish symbols using XXXXVIII ADDED TO
MDCCCCLXXVIIII MDCCCCLXXVIIII
XXXXVIII
First to add combine the lowest level symbols of IIII and III = IIIIIII =VII
Next add the VII to the existing V in XXXXV = XXXXVVII= XXXXXII
Add XXXXXII TO the MDCCCCLXXV less the IIII
XXXXXII = XXXXXII =LII
Add LII to MDCCCCLXXV = MDCCCCC (2 Ls=C), and the new sum is
MDCCCCCXXVII with the 5 CCCCC = D making MDDXXVII & adding the 2 D
= an M so that the final symbol set is 11MXXVII= 2,027.
Checking the beginning number MDCCCCLXXVIIII = 1,979nd adding
XXXXVIII = 48
Total 2,027
This is the way to add real roman numeral symbols or even more complex. Using
the stylish symbols for the value 48 used for last years Super Bowl (XLVIII) adds
20 more to the sum and would be 2047.
Author Glen Shake
Edited by Jackson Davis