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 be discussing 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 to count using fingers, sticks, bones, etc. to count earlier. When life became complex, a standard form was required to count. 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 XXXI to represent 31000, where X is 10000 and M is 1000. 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 the smaller number is placed after the larger number. For example, XXXI → XXX (30000) + I (1000) = 31000.
To write a large number, there are certain Roman numerals that can be repeated three times. For example, XXX → 30000.
If a small number is followed by a large number in Roman numerals, we subtract the smaller number from the large 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 VVV for 15; instead, we use XV.
Let’s now learn how to write 31000 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 31000 in Roman numerals using the expansion method. To write 31000 in Roman numerals, follow the steps:
Step 1: Break the number based on the place value: ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, etc. For 31000, we write it as 30000 + 1000.
Step 2: Convert the number into Roman numerals:
Step 3: Combine them together. Therefore, 31000 in Roman numerals is XXX (30000) + M (1000) = XXXI.
When writing a large number into Roman numerals, we group the number. To write 31000 in Roman numerals, we group 31000 as 30000 + 1000.
So, 31000 is written as XXXI in Roman numerals.
Students often make mistakes when writing numbers in Roman numerals. To master Roman numerals, we can learn a few common mistakes and the ways to avoid them.
A historian discovers an ancient manuscript that mentions the year XXXI times a particular event happened. If the manuscript is referring to 31000 years, how many times did the event occur each year?
The event occurred 1 time each year.
The manuscript states the event happened XXXI times, and if this refers to 31000 years, we divide 31000 by XXXI to find the frequency per year.
XXXI = 31
31000 / 31 = 1000 times each year.
Thus, the event occurred 1000 times in each year.
An archaeologist finds a series of tiles, with each tile representing a century, totaling XXXI tiles. If each tile represents 100 years, how many years do these tiles collectively represent?
The tiles collectively represent 3100 years.
Each tile represents a century (100 years), and there are XXXI tiles.
XXXI = 31
31 tiles × 100 years/tile = 3100 years.
A collector has a collection of artifacts from the Roman Empire, with each artifact dated to a period of M years. If the collector has XXXI artifacts, what is the total period these artifacts represent?
The total period represented by the artifacts is 31000 years.
Each artifact is dated to a period of M (1000) years, and there are XXXI artifacts.
XXXI = 31
31 artifacts × 1000 years/artifact = 31000 years.
A mathematician is exploring patterns in large Roman numerals and writes a sequence of numbers totaling 31000. If the sequence starts with M and ends with XXX, what is the middle number in Roman numerals?
The middle number in the sequence is MMMD.
The sequence is of numbers totaling 31000, starting with M (1000) and ending with XXX (30).
The middle number can be calculated as:
(M + XXX) / 2 = (1000 + 30000) / 2 = 15500, which in Roman numerals is MMMD.
A scholar records an average of XXXI observations per year over a period of M years. How many total observations did the scholar record?
The scholar recorded a total of 31000 observations.
The average number of observations per year is XXXI, and the period is M years.
XXXI = 31
M = 1000
31 observations/year × 1000 years = 31000 observations total.
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.