Question

Which of the following are meaningless?
A. VX
B. IXIV
C. XIIV
D. All of these

Answer 1

Hint: In this question it is given, we have to find which of the given Roman numerals are meaningless. So for this we have to first understand how to write roman numerals,
So here are some basic numbers that can be epressin Roman numerals:
1= I 10 = X 100 = C
2 = II 20 = XX 500 = D
3 = III 30 = XXX 1000 = M
4 = IV 40 = XL
5 =V 50 = L
6 = VI 60 = LX
7 = VII 70 = LXX
8 = VIII 80 = LXXX
9 = IX 90 = XC
Also you have to remember that,
a. If a smaller symbol is written to the right of a symbol with greater value, then its value gets added to the value of the greater symbol. For example, VII = 5+2 =7, XI=10 +1= 11 etc.
b. If a smaller symbol is written on the left of a symbol with greater value, then its value is subtracted from the value of the greater symbol. IV= 5-1=4, IX=10-1=9 etc.

Complete step-by-step answer:
Let us check for first option, i.e, VX,
So X =10 and V =5 and since ‘V’ is written on the left side of ‘X’ so we have to subtract 5 from 10 by our rule number(b),
Therefore,VX = 10-5 = 5,
But as we know that we can directly write 5 as ‘V’, so option A is meaningless.

Now option B, IXIV
IX = 9 and IV = 4 (from the above table)
So IV written to the right side of IX, so we have to add it,
i.e, IXIV = 9+4 =13, but in Roman numeral XIII gives 13,
So this is also meaningless.

Option C, XIIV
So in this case also we can say that it is meaningless, because we cannot write more than one smaller symbol on the left side of a greater symbol, but here it is given XIIV i.e, ‘I’ is written two times.


Note: While writing any Roman numeral you need to know that the symbols V, L and D are never written to the left of a symbol of greater value i.e. V, L and D are never subtracted. The symbol ‘I’ can be subtracted from V and X only. The symbol X can be subtracted from L, M, and C only.