What is 49 squared in roman numerals showing all of your workings?

Answer 1

The Roman numerals for 49 are XXXXVIIII or IL and notXLIX. In fact the Latin word for IL is undequinquagintawhich quite literally means one from fifty. So your question is: What is IL squared? IL squared = -I(-I+L)+L(-I+L) Multiplying out the brackets = +I-L-L+MMD (+1-50-50+2500) When simplified = CMMDI (2501-100) Therefore 49 squared in Roman numerals = CMMDI (2401) Note that in maths a minus number multiplied by a minus number changes to a plus number. Hence -I times -I is +I. David Gambell, Merseyside, England. Conventionally accept wisdom tells us that XLIX (40 +9) and XLVIIII (40 + 5 + 4) are both mean acceptable methods of writing 49, although the former is more popular as it is shorter. XXXXVIIII is numerically correct but clumsy and unweildy, so it is rarely if ever used. The alternative mentioned above, IL is incorrect on two counts. According to the website Algebra.com Roman numerals read from left to right and always start with the highest value numeral, as I (1) is patently less than L (50) IL is clearly wrong. Also while I may preceed V or X it should not be placed in front of any higher value numerals, such as L. It should also be noted that the answer of 2401 should not be written as CMMDI because it flouts the aforementioned rules in placing CM (900) before M (1000). The accepted correct method of writing 2401 is MMCDI(2000 + 400 + 1).