Roman Numerals

[Fozzer]

Thanks Paul - just noticed I'd made the same mistake - and I wasn't born in 1931. However, if I was, it would have made my career much more interesting (30 years of QRA? )...

Tee-Hee...!

Hi Charlie....
...keep that link handy when the credits of "Gone With The Wind" scroll quickly past....
...and you are really curious as to what year the film was made... ... ...!
LOL...!

Paul....(my dear old Dad was born in the year MCM)... ...!

[Fozzer]

I shall forever be greatful for the Roman Alphabet letters.......!

...but the Romans definately made a big fo-pa when it came to designing numbers*.... ...!

LOL... ...!

Paul.

...* who needs a pen shaped like a bleedin' chisel in his top pocket... ... ... ...!
LOL...!

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Roman%20alphabet

[C]

For some reason I was thinking MCMXXXVIII, but of course, it was MCMXXXIX

[Hagar]

Perhaps Charlie can explain to me why the new RAF Typhoon display team, 29 Squadron, has XXX painted on the tails of its aircraft. The commentator at Kemble explained it but I missed the important part.

but the Romans definately made a big fo-pa when it came to designing numbers

You mean faux pas. French you know. Sorry Paul, I couldn't resist it.

The Romans never had any numerical symbols in their alphabet. Adapted from the Etruscan I believe. Using letters to represent numbers was the only way of writing it down. The numerical system most countries use today is called Arabic although it doesn't originate from Arabia.

The term "Arabic numerals" is actually a misnomer, since what are known in English as "Arabic numerals" were neither invented nor widely used by the Arabs. Instead, they were developed in India by the Hindus around 400 BC. However, because it was Arabs who transmitted this system to the West after the Hindu numerical system found its way to Persia, the numeral system became known as "Arabic". Arabs themselves call the numerals they use "Indian numerals"

[Fozzer]

...aren't' you glad you didn't go to school in China... ::)... ;)...!

http://www.logoi.com/notes/symbols_alphabet.html

...by the time you've written your cheque out, the bank would have closed... :'(...!
LOL...!

Paul.... ;D...!

...bleedin' faux pas... >:(... ;)... ;D...!
LOL...!

Blimey....anyone in need of a headache...have a peek here...>>> Indian Numerals...

http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~his ... erals.html

P.S. ...Ta for the heads-up on the "Arabic" numerals, Doug...always been fascinated with them, and their origins.... ...!

[C]

Perhaps Charlie can explain to me why the new RAF Typhoon display team, 29 Squadron, has XXX painted on the tails of its aircraft. The commentator at Kemble explained it but I missed the important part.

Pass. In the 20s and 30s, 29 had a framed red "X" either side of the roundel, and I imagine the change to the framed "XXX" came in the mid 30s when the over wing amrkings became popular.

[Hagar]

Pass. In the 20s and 30s, 29 had a framed red "X" either side of the roundel, and I imagine the change to the framed "XXX" came in the mid 30s when the over wing amrkings became popular.

Thanks anyway. A little hunt round in Google came up with 2 possible answers. This is the official explanation which is relevant to this thread.

Keen readers may notice that 29 Squadron is miss-spelt as XXX Squadron. This dates back to the First World War, when a Senior Aircraftman (SAC) was told to paint 29 Squadron on the aircraft using Roman numerals. The exact phrase being paint 2 X's and 1 X (XXIX - 29 Squadron), which was mistakenly interpreted as 2 X's and 1 more X making XXX Squadron, and this tradition has been kept since that initial mistake. http://www.rafmarham.co.uk/relations/stories-2005/typhoon/

Think I like this one better.

The squadron's famous 'XXX' embellishment was unofficially adopted denoting the brewers sign for 'extra strength'. http://www.flyingzone.co.uk/tornadoinfocus/29squadron.htm

[legoalex2000]

something like whats your birthday in roman numerals

MCMLXXXVIII

(i like the XXX part  ;D )

[Fozzer]

something like whats your birthday in roman numerals

MCMLXXXVIII

(i like the XXX part  ;D )

LOL.... ...!

...IX...
VIII + I

....and old English saying, (as in being drunk), "One over the eight"... ...!

LOL...!

Paul....work that out... ...!

[C]

Thanks anyway. A little hunt round in Google came up with 2 possible answers. This is the official explanation which is relevant to this thread.

Aha! Bit like the 32 squadron "Sqn Cdr's" query, GZ-?...

[ATI_7500]

Sorry guys, it's been a while since I last had to deal with roman numerals.
I preferred French over Latin in school, hence I don't have much knowledge about roman stuff.

[RichieB16]

Hey, does anyone know what the Roman Numeral for 5000 is?  I know that must be the next one above 1000.

By the way, I was born in MCMLXXXV.  

[Fozzer]

Hey, does anyone know what the Roman Numeral for 5000 is?  I know that must be the next one above 1000.

By the way, I was born in MCMLXXXV.  

...MMMMM*...

5 times 1000

= 5000

http://www.novaroma.org/via_romana/numbers.html

Paul.

* The Romans didn't normally think that far ahead regarding dates... ... ...!

[H]

As time passes, rules are added where no specifics first existed (even back then, many used their own renditions). Although it rarely was, 1999 (A.D.) could more easily have been printed as MIM.

[Flt.Lt.Andrew]

1934, Paul!

Paulus est senex! Paulus est non senex!
Is est laetus puer!


A.