Supplement 3: Numeral Usage Tables

Table of Roman Numerals

Roman numerals are frequently an attractive alternative for identifying sections of an outline. To use them, you need to understand how to write them.

   Symbols and Values

   I      1  one
   V      5  five
   X     10  ten
   L     50  fifty
   C    100  one hundred
   D    500  five hundred
   M   1000  one thousand

To find the roman numeral equivalent to the Hindu-Arabic system which we use today, you add the individual symbols and write them from left to right, largest to smallest. The number 2 becomes I (1) plus I (1) or II. The number 12 becomes X (10) plus II (2) or XII.
     An exception occurs with the numerals 4, 9, 40, 90, 400, or 900 where the Romans used a system of subtraction. Hence, 4 is not IIII, but V (5) minus I (1) or IV. 9 is not VIIII, but X (10) minus I (1) or IX. Notice that when the Roman numerals are subtracted, they are written from right to left, the numeral value on the left is subtracted from the higher value on the right. (Now you can see why we use the Arabic system for our mathematics.)

      Quick Reference Table

 1  I     11  XI     21  XXI     40   XL
 2  II    12  XII    22  XXII    90   XC
 3  III   13  XIII   23  XXIII   400  CD
 4  IV    14  XIV    24  XXIV    900  CM
 5  V     15  XV     25  XXV 
 6  VI    16  XVI    26  XXVI
 7  VII   17  XVII   27  XXVII
 8  VIII  18  XVIII  28  XXVIII
 9  IX    19  XIX    29  XXIX
10  X     20  XX     30  XXX

Table of Alexandrian Greek Symbols

The names of the Alexandrian system are often used to name teams, organizations, or as a more interesting method of designating placement within a hierarchy. For example, the A Team doesn't seem nearly as creative as the Alpha Team. Science experiments and computer software applications are often referred to as alpha or beta to indicate a stage of development, meaning they are experimental and not ready for general use.

Name  Symbol Value   Name   Symbol Value
Alpha    A    1      Nu       N    50
Beta     B    2      Xi            60
Gamma         3      Omicron  O    70
Delta         4      Pi            80
Epsilon  E    5      Koppa         90
Digamma              Rho      P   100
 or Vau  F    6      Sigma        200
Zeta     Z    7      Tau      T   300
Eta      H    8      Upsilon      400
Theta         9      Phi          500
Iota     I   10      Chi      X   600
Kappa    K   20      Psi          700
Lambda       30      Omega        800
Mu       M   40      Sampi        900

The Binary System

The decimal system (deci means ten in latin) is a place value system that uses ten digits. It is also known as the base ten system. Our system of representing numbers depends on:
     1. The ten digits {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9}
     2. The placement of the digits
     3. The value of each place
The binary system (bi means two) is a place value system that uses two digits. While the decimal system has advantages for us when working with large numbers, the binary system is perfect for computers. Only two digits are needed {0, 1}, which coincides very nicely with turning the cells in a computer off and on with an electrical charge. The unique combination of off/on states stored in a pattern of bits represents numbers, characters or instructions. The larger the bits, the more complicated the information that can be stored. This is why today's 64-bit computers are so much more powerful than their 8-bit predecessors.

U.S. and Metric Equivalents

Equivalents are rounded off.

  U.S. to Metric               Metric to U.S.
  1 in. = 2.54 cm              1 cm   = .394 in.
  1 ft  = 0.305 m              1 m    = 3.28 ft
  1 yd  = 0.915 m              1 m    = 1.09 yd
  1 mi  = 1.61 km              1 km   = .62 mi


  1 in.2 = 6.45 cm2            1 cm2 = .155 in.2
  1 ft2  = 0.093 m2            1 m2  = 10.764 ft2
  1 yd2  = 0.836 m2            1 m2  = 1.196 yd2
  1 acre = 0.405 ha            1 ha  = 2.47 acres 

  1 in.3 = 16.387 cm3          1 cm3 = .06 in.3
  1 ft3  = 0.028 m3