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How can I figure out what a Roman numeral stands for?

You add the numbers together if numbers of the same size are placed next to each other or if a smaller number is placed to the right of a larger number. For example:

• II = 2
• III = 3
• VI = 6
• VIII = 8
• XX = 20
• XXI = 21
• CC = 200

You subtract the smaller number from the larger if a smaller number is placed to the left of a larger number. For example:

• IV = 4
• IX = 9
• XL = 40
• CD = 400
• CM = 900

Sometimes you will perform both operations:

• XIV = 14
• XIX = 19
• XXIV = 24
• XCI = 91
• XCIX = 99
• MCM = 1900
• MCMXLVII = 1947
• MCML = 1950
• MCMLXVIII = 1968
• MCMLXXIX = 1979