Math Is Fun Forum

katecaroline

Member

Registered: 2005-06-19

Posts: 35

Roman Numeral Puzzle ;)

This is a pretty simple problem that my math teacher showed me a few years ago, but I thought it was funny Try your luck!

You're given the symbols IX. Using any one symbol what would you have to add to it to equal 6?

Here's a little background information on Roman Numerals in case you don't know much about them:

Roman Numerals

Roman numerals are written as combinations of the seven letters in the table below. The letters can be written as capital (XVI) or lower-case letters (xvi).
Roman Numerals
I = 1     C = 100
V = 5     D = 500
X = 10     M = 1000
L = 50     

If smaller numbers follow larger numbers, the numbers are added. If a smaller number precedes a larger number, the smaller number is subtracted from the larger. For example:

    * VIII = 5+3 = 8
    * IX = 10-1 = 9
    * XL = 50-10 = 40
    * XC = 100-10 = 90
    * MCMLXXXIV = 1000+(1000-100)+50+30+(5-1) = 1984

Good luck

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» I always knew that looking back on the tears would make me laugh,
but I never knew looking back on the laughs would make me cry. «
<3

Zach

Member

Registered: 2005-03-23

Posts: 2,075

Re: Roman Numeral Puzzle ;)

Would this happen to be anything to do with manipluation of the roman symbols? I mean, by turing X into V and moving I, you can make 6.

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Boy let me tell you what:
I bet you didn't know it, but I'm a fiddle player too.
And if you'd care to take a dare, I'll make a bet with you.

katecaroline

Member

Registered: 2005-06-19

Posts: 35

Re: Roman Numeral Puzzle ;)

Haha nope Remeber it's ANY symbol.. keep a VERY open mind about this one. I hated my teacher after this one XD

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» I always knew that looking back on the tears would make me laugh,
but I never knew looking back on the laughs would make me cry. «
<3

MathsIsFun

Administrator

Registered: 2005-01-21

Posts: 7,713

Re: Roman Numeral Puzzle ;)

BTW, you can convert from Roman to Decimal and vice versa at the bottom of this page

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"The physicists defer only to mathematicians, and the mathematicians defer only to God ..."  - Leon M. Lederman

mathsyperson

Moderator

Registered: 2005-06-22

Posts: 4,900

Re: Roman Numeral Puzzle ;)

Hee hee I know the anSwer...

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Why did the vector cross the road?
It wanted to be normal.

Mr T

Member

Registered: 2005-03-30

Posts: 1,012

Re: Roman Numeral Puzzle ;)

Hee hee I know the anSwer...

...subtle mathsyperson, i was confused until ur comment

---

I come back stronger than a powered-up Pac-Man
I bought a large popcorn @ the cinema the other day, it was pretty big...some might even say it was "large
Fatboy Slim is a Legend

mathsyperson

Moderator

Registered: 2005-06-22

Posts: 4,900

Re: Roman Numeral Puzzle ;)

Sorry, have I made it too obviouS?

By the way, I tried MIM on the numeral converter thingy, and it gave me 2001.

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Why did the vector cross the road?
It wanted to be normal.

Milos

Member

Registered: 2005-05-06

Posts: 44

Re: Roman Numeral Puzzle ;)

Let's try putting V in the middle:
IVX = 10-(5-1)=6
?

mathsyperson

Moderator

Registered: 2005-06-22

Posts: 4,900

Re: Roman Numeral Puzzle ;)

The numeral converter gives IVX as 14, but it's already been proven wrong once...

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Why did the vector cross the road?
It wanted to be normal.

MathsIsFun

Administrator

Registered: 2005-01-21

Posts: 7,713

Re: Roman Numeral Puzzle ;)

Ohhhh? So I am expected to go in and fix the darn thing? Just because you lot like feeding it numbers that a 6 year old roman kid would get a clip around the ears for scratching down?

Harrumph!

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"The physicists defer only to mathematicians, and the mathematicians defer only to God ..."  - Leon M. Lederman

MathsIsFun

Administrator

Registered: 2005-01-21

Posts: 7,713

Re: Roman Numeral Puzzle ;)

OK fixed - if you enter "MIM" it gives back 1999.

For "IVX" it gives 4, which is I less than V less than X (you can argue whether that is right or not amongst yourselves!)

Enjoy! *departs with swish of cape*

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"The physicists defer only to mathematicians, and the mathematicians defer only to God ..."  - Leon M. Lederman

katecaroline

Member

Registered: 2005-06-19

Posts: 35

Re: Roman Numeral Puzzle ;)

Lol, well IVX is indeed not the answer.. I think most of you already know it from mathsyperson's "unobvious" post, but I will tell you the answer if someone is still interested.

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» I always knew that looking back on the tears would make me laugh,
but I never knew looking back on the laughs would make me cry. «
<3

Roraborealis

Member

Registered: 2005-03-17

Posts: 1,594

Re: Roman Numeral Puzzle ;)

Me!

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School is practice for the future. Practice makes perfect. But - nobody's perfect, so why practice?

katecaroline

Member

Registered: 2005-06-19

Posts: 35

Re: Roman Numeral Puzzle ;)

Alrighty. Heh heh it's somewhat corny, but the symbol you enter in front of IX is an S. Get it? S + IX = SIX. AHAHAHA gets me every time ^.^

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» I always knew that looking back on the tears would make me laugh,
but I never knew looking back on the laughs would make me cry. «
<3

MathsIsFun

Administrator

Registered: 2005-01-21

Posts: 7,713

Re: Roman Numeral Puzzle ;)

Aaarrgghh !

Very funny, kate caroline.

Got any more?

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"The physicists defer only to mathematicians, and the mathematicians defer only to God ..."  - Leon M. Lederman

Zach

Member

Registered: 2005-03-23

Posts: 2,075

Re: Roman Numeral Puzzle ;)

That was just evil.

---

Boy let me tell you what:
I bet you didn't know it, but I'm a fiddle player too.
And if you'd care to take a dare, I'll make a bet with you.

mathsyperson

Moderator

Registered: 2005-06-22

Posts: 4,900

Re: Roman Numeral Puzzle ;)

Look, I made the converter go crazy!

99999=MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMCMXCIX

Last edited by mathsyperson (2005-06-27 20:32:03)

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Why did the vector cross the road?
It wanted to be normal.

Zach

Member

Registered: 2005-03-23

Posts: 2,075

Re: Roman Numeral Puzzle ;)

The thing doesn't even have ten thousands or a hundred thousands!

---

Boy let me tell you what:
I bet you didn't know it, but I'm a fiddle player too.
And if you'd care to take a dare, I'll make a bet with you.

katecaroline

Member

Registered: 2005-06-19

Posts: 35

Re: Roman Numeral Puzzle ;)

Ahaha I know, I'm evil. *sigh* what can you do. Hrmmm I'll try and remeber some more my teacher gave us, they were all pretty awesome.

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» I always knew that looking back on the tears would make me laugh,
but I never knew looking back on the laughs would make me cry. «
<3

Mr T

Member

Registered: 2005-03-30

Posts: 1,012

Re: Roman Numeral Puzzle ;)

i must say that was purdy good

---

I come back stronger than a powered-up Pac-Man
I bought a large popcorn @ the cinema the other day, it was pretty big...some might even say it was "large
Fatboy Slim is a Legend

Roraborealis

Member

Registered: 2005-03-17

Posts: 1,594

Re: Roman Numeral Puzzle ;)

Heehee! That was funny!

Does anyone want to hear the puzzle a friend told me today?

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School is practice for the future. Practice makes perfect. But - nobody's perfect, so why practice?

stewie

Member

Registered: 2005-03-28

Posts: 820

Re: Roman Numeral Puzzle ;)

NO.

Only kidding, go on tell us we're all dying to know.

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HAPPY HAPPY, JOY JOY 
Fatboy Slim is the band of the 90s, thats if you want to call it a band because its really a one man name

MathsIsFun

Administrator

Registered: 2005-01-21

Posts: 7,713

Re: Roman Numeral Puzzle ;)

YES

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"The physicists defer only to mathematicians, and the mathematicians defer only to God ..."  - Leon M. Lederman

Zach

Member

Registered: 2005-03-23

Posts: 2,075

Re: Roman Numeral Puzzle ;)

Yes is a word compromising of three letters leaning into a much more positive and affirmitive feel.

---

Boy let me tell you what:
I bet you didn't know it, but I'm a fiddle player too.
And if you'd care to take a dare, I'll make a bet with you.

justlookingforthemoment

Moderator

Registered: 2005-05-26

Posts: 2,161

Re: Roman Numeral Puzzle ;)

YES!

Well, now, I suppose it's two to one, stewie.

Last edited by justlookingforthemoment (2005-11-17 14:07:40)