Write 39 in Roman numerals.
A. XXXIX
B. XXXXI
C. XXXX
D. None of these
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is A. XXXIX.
Roman numerals are based on combinations of letters from the Latin alphabet, where each letter represents a specific value. The main letters used in Roman numerals are:
- I = 1
- V = 5
- X = 10
- L = 50
- C = 100
- D = 500
- M = 1000
To write 39, we need to break it down into values that can be expressed in Roman numerals.
Start with 39:
- 39 can be split into 30 and 9.
- 30 is written as XXX because 10 + 10 + 10 = 30.
- 9 is written as IX because Roman numerals use a subtractive rule where I before X indicates one less than ten (i.e., 9).
When combined, the Roman numeral for 39 is XXXIX.
Now, let’s analyze the other choices:
- B. XXXXI is incorrect because there’s no Roman numeral for 40 that would allow for this form. Roman numerals do not repeat the same numeral four times in a row.
- C. XXXX is also incorrect. Roman numerals avoid the use of four identical symbols in a row. Instead, 40 is represented as XL (50 – 10).
- D. None of these is incorrect since A. XXXIX is the correct Roman numeral for 39.
Thus, the correct answer is A. XXXIX.