Roman Numerals - Is there a logic behind them?

Question

Ok for those that don't know but might have a good knowledge of Latin

I = 1
V = 5
X = 10
L = 50
C Cent= 100
M Mille= 1000

Answer 1

The Romans were a fascinating people. Their numbering system was logical for them in that the symbol "C" represented one hundred items and "M", a thousand. The logic was simply to write these symbols left to right so that MCIV represented 1,104 and MCXIV was 1,114 items.
The problem is that such numbers cannot be used for calculation - imagine trying to add MCIV+MCXIV and compare the ease with which our tens and units approach helps us
1,104 +
1,114 =
2,214
It was the Indian culture that invented zero and the Arabs the current number system we use today.
The intriguing thing about the Romans was that they were fantastic builders, capable of computing requirements for roads, aquaducts and buildings with domes on top with their awfully difficult number system. How did they do the calculations they must have done?

Answer 2

One thing the wikipedia article doesn't seem to say (and I confess I just skimmed it) is that there is a logic behind breaking things down into ones, fives and tens - one is a finger, five is a hand and ten is both hands. It then makes sense to extend the concept to fifty and a hundred, because otherwise you'd end up with an awful lot if tens.

That, I think, is why the tally system works in groups of five.

Answer 3

The answer is yes.They obviously kept one hand hidden in their toga, so the numbers are multiples of five.
They didn't have a zero. Which is why Julius Caesar and Mark Antony were so interested in Cleopatra. The Egyptians had discovered the zero.

Answer 4

There must have been some logic behind them, otherwise the Romans wouldn't have made them. =) I mean... the ancient Romans and Greeks were big on "logic". So yes, there was a logic behind them, though that may be lost now.

Answer 5

Back in the Dark Ages when Latin was compulsory I was taught like this:
If you hold up your first finger it is 1
if you hold up your first finger and thumb they form a V for five
the Latin for 100 is Centum - hence C
if you cut C in half you get an L for 50
the Latin for 1000 is Mille hence M

Answer 6

Yes there is a logic and you can find this on wikipedia but the illogic side is that they are useless when trying to do calculations!!!

Answer 7

I agree with O J and add that if you put two V's together, you get X, so there is logic there too.

Answer 8

I know, I know, any schmuck can post a link in lieu of a real answer, but what you want is here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_numerals

Answer 9

pesonally i dont think there is. but they make a pretty design on my mums clock.