LIV Roman Numerals

What Does LIV Mean in Roman Numerals?

The Roman numerals LIV equal the number 54.

The equation works out as L + V - I. The Roman numeral L represents the number 50, the Roman numeral V equals 5, and the Roman numeral I equals 1.

Why is LIV not 56?

Because I (1) is written before V (5), it means that it needs to be taken away. The section on the subtractive principle on our main Roman numerals page explains this in more detail, but essentially when a smaller numeral comes after a larger one the two are added, but when the smaller one is written before a larger one, the smaller one is subtracted from the larger one.

As stated above, this means that LIV is L (50) + V (5) – I (1). Because I is a smaller number than V, I is subtracted from V and then added to L.

The opposite to this would be LVI, which is the equivalent of the number 56. In this case, as I comes after V, the two are added together, rather than being subtracted. It means that V+I added together equals 6, which is then added to L (50) = 56.

LIV is an Example of a More Difficult Roman Numeral to Understand

There is no doubt that Roman numbers such as LIV, which require the subtractive principle to be used, are more difficult to compute and process. For those of us for whom English is our first language, and indeed many other languages across the world, we are used to reading words and numbers from left to right. Having to work out a sum and then add it to a number that has already been written before is rather strange to us and does not come naturally.

Roman numerals such as the LVI example above, where each numeral letter is smaller than the one preceding it, are much easier to convert into our modern numbering system, as each one is simply added to the next. So LVI is a simple L (50), plus V (5), plus I (1) which equals 56. It is a particular relief when presented with an even longer Roman numeral such as MDCLXVIII, which can all be added together simply and easily from left to right (using the chart below you will see that this Roman numeral equals 1,668).

It may all seem confusing at first. However, as you put in more practice and get used to the entire concept of the Roman numerals system, it becomes more natural to start looking at the equation as a whole first to spot where the subtractive principle may be required. As this becomes more instinctive, it then becomes easier to figure out the correct value.

All Seven Roman Numeral Letters

The equation LIV is comprised of three of the seven letters that can be combined (if necessary) and used to create a final number.

For reference, these seven letters are:

Roman Numeral	Number
I	1
V	5
X	10
L	50
C	100
D	500
M	1,000

Roman Numerals Converter Tool

To help you convert Roman numerals, please use our handy Roman numeral converter tool below. Why not type a number in, see what it equates to in Roman numerals, and then see if you can deconstruct it to work out why it is expressed like that in Roman numerals? Just don’t forget the subtractive principle!

Use the Roman numeral converter tool below to either convert a Roman numeral into a modern-day number, or vice-versa. Of course, this tool is only accurate up to the number 3,999... click here to find out why! It is particularly handy for finding out the date of when a particular movie was made if the date is in Roman numerals, or for finding out your birthday year in Roman numerals.

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Did you know...
The first evidence of zero is from the Sumerian culture in Mesopotamia, some 5,000 years ago. The symbol changed over time as positional notation, for which zero was crucial, made its way to the Babylonian empire and from there to India, and to the Greeks. The Romans had no trace of it at all.