Roman Numerals

Just like us... they needed to count things.

The numerals developed out of a need for a common method of counting, essential to communications and trade.

Yes, they could count on their fingers. But once you reach 10, you can start to get confused.

The main few symbols of counting are: a single line to represent 1 unit, a V to represent 5 units, and X to represent 10, and the larger symbols came from their language.

Hold up your hand and count to 5.

The single line to represent 1 comes from your fingers

The V to represent 5 comes from your pointer finger and thumb. It looks like a V so that was now the symbol.

Now count to 10 using both hands. What happens when you overlap your thumbs? Yep, an X!

With a system to count and keep track of objects, you now can keep track of things by writing them down

To continue with the crates example. Say you ordered 17 crates. Before this system, one could have got forgotten, maybe the trader sold it to someone else.

This system keeps people acCOUNTable

Kings, Rulers, Popes, Queens, etc. (King George III)

Watches and clocks

Books and chapters

If a father has a son, they become a Jr. or a II. The line could continue to the third son becoming the III.

Olympics and other sporting events.

Even though we have a much better (and easier) number system now, we still use Roman numerals all the time

We like they way they look and they do they same thing as our number system