XLIX Roman Numerals

What is XLIX in Roman Numerals?

The Roman numeral XLIX is equal to the number 49.

XLIX is one of the more complicated Roman numerals in existence because it incorporates not one, but two instances of the subtractive principle, where the smaller value is subtracted from the larger one.

To convert the Roman numeral XLIX into the Arabic numeral of 49, we need to break it down into two separate parts.

First, though, we need to know what numbers the Roman numeral letters used in this math equation are. For XLIX, the ones we need to understand are:

L = 50
X= 10
I = 1

Now that we have learnt these, the next step is to solve this puzzle by, as mentioned above, dealing with it in two stages.

The first part is to calculate what XL is. As X = 10, which is a smaller number than L (which is 50), then we need to subtract X from L. Subtracting 10 from 50 gives us the answer of 40.

Next, we need to work out what number IX represents. Because I = 1, which is lower in value than X (10), we need to subtract I from X, or 1 from 10, which gives us 9.

Then it is simply a case of adding the two components together: 40 + 9, which equals 49.

Although initially trying to convert this Roman numeral seemed rather daunting as it featured two instances of the subtractive principle, in reality, by breaking it down into two parts we could fairly easily work out that XLIX translated as the number 49, so long as we knew beforehand what number each of the three Roman numeral symbols/letters present equated to.

Despite not being as straightforward as a number without the need to make use of the subtractive principle, such as XXVII for example which just needs all of the values adding together because each successive letter is equal or less that its predecessor, with a little bit of care and practice we can work it out and find the answer.

Of course, if you’re into football, you probably already know what XLIX equalled, as the NFL Super Bowl XLIX was Super Bowl 49. Incidentally, Roman numerals were ditched for Super Bowl 50, albeit temporarily, as Super Bowl L just didn’t sound or look right in the name and logo apparently.

Math Questions Containing the Roman Numeral XLIX

Why not have a go at the below math questions to test your knowledge of Roman numerals? Each of the questions contain the Roman numeral XLIX in them somewhere.

$A math question being asked in a classroom$

1. What is XLIX plus IX?

Both of these Roman numerals feature the subtractive principle, but shouldn’t take us too long to work out.

We already know that XLIX equals 49, so that part is easy! And the next is simply X minus I, or 10 minus 1, which equals 9.

All we have to do now is add the two together, 49 + 9, to provide us with the answer of 58 (or LVIII in Roman numerals).

2. What is LV minus XLIX?

Apart from XLIX, which we already know to be 49, this question is straightforward in that it requires no further subtractions to work out the other number of LV.

We know from earlier in this piece that L equals the number 50, but we haven’t encountered the Roman numeral V yet. This numeral represents the number 5, and because it is smaller than the numeral that precedes it (L, or 50), that we just need to add them together. This means that LV is simply 50 + 5 which equals the number 55.

Now all we need to do is subtract 49 (XLIX) from 55 (LV) to give us the answer, which is 6 (VI in Roman numerals).

3. What is IV multiplied by XLIX?

IV is perhaps one of the most talked about Roman numerals out there, particularly when it comes to clocks and watches and the great "IV or IIII?" debate. The numeral itself however is relatively easy to work out. As I (1) is written before 5 (V), it is just 5 – 1, so we know that the Roman numeral IV is equal to the number 4.

With this information, we now need to multiply XLIX (49) by 4, which is... *gets calculator out*... 196, or CXCVI in Roman numerals (If C = 100, can you see why CXCVI is equal to 196? Remember the subtractive principle in the middle of it somewhere!)