Conciseness of Roman Numerals

1. What is the logic behind Roman numerals?
2. What is the point of learning Roman numerals?
3. Why did Europe stop using Roman numerals?

What is the logic behind Roman numerals?

The Roman numeral system uses only seven symbols: I, V, X, L, C, D, and M. I represents the number 1, V represents 5, X is 10, L is 50, C is 100, D is 500, and M is 1,000. Different arrangements of these seven symbols represent different numbers.

What is the point of learning Roman numerals?

It Provides a New Representation of Numbers

Thinking about numbers in different ways can also help them form connections or see patterns. Writing a number as a Roman numeral is just another way to show that various forms can look different, but be equal.

Why did Europe stop using Roman numerals?

The Roman system was fine for recording amounts of things, but not so useful for manipulating those amounts. The abacus — or counting frame — was useful, but limited. And for more complex calculations, Roman numerals were hopeless. This put serious limits on trade, commerce, and especially science.