Unutterably Silly Quiz

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

XXX but then we are getting in to moives and the Romans didn't have those.

I hadn't thought of that, but I'll accept it. XXX for 1 point.

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

Is it the Hindu system that uses an upside down V to represent 5? Is that what you are after for five Points?

No. It's an obscure connection (five points, after all), but I'm sure someone'll come up with it.

I would give you a point for upside down V meaning five, but I can't find it in any Hindu number system.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

• 4 points: Why does a clock face with roman numerals use IIII for 4 instead of the normal IV?

Having researched this one a bit, I find it's not quite as clear-cut as I'd thought. However, I'd like the most common explanation, please.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

(In general, Romans didn't use a much smaller number before a bigger one in that way. I could go before V or X, but not before L, C, D or M.)

Having researched this one a bit more, I find that it also is not a clear-cut as I'd thought. However, I'm restricting answers to current modern usage of Roman numerals.

[orlok]

If we are using I to represent the letter i, then I'll claim "I" as a word.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

2 points: What will be the next year with a palindromic date in roman numerals

MMM? (3000)

[Kumabjorn]

Is the IIII used as an "ode" to the Old Roman system?

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by orlok

If we are using I to represent the letter i, then I'll claim "I" as a word.

Yes, you can have "I".

Originally Posted by orlok

MMM? (3000)

Yes, as far as I can see, that's the next one!

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

Is the IIII used as an "ode" to the Old Roman system?

Not the reason I'm thinking of.

[pdurrant]

[recap]

Four limited questions, and then an open ended one.

• 5 points: V is the Roman numeral for 5. In what other way is it associated with the number 5?
• 4 points: Why does a clock face with roman numerals use IIII for 4 instead of the normal IV?
• 3 points: What was the most recent year with a palindromic date in roman numerals?
  MM (2000 CE) Kumabjorn
• 2 points: What will be the next year with a palindromic date in roman numerals?
  MMM (3000 CE) orlok
• 1 point each: Give dates in roman numerals that are English words (with a relaxed interpretation of words).
  MIX - 1009 - issybird
  XXX - 30 - Kumabjorn
  I - 1 - orlok
  XI - 11 - issybird
  MI - 1001 - issybird

4 points: Kumabjorn
3 points: orlok
3 points: issybird

[issybird]

XI - (the Greek letter) - 11

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by issybird

XI - (the Greek letter) - 11

Yes, a very good one.

[pdurrant]

It's a close race, and at least 9 points still available!

[issybird]

MI (the musical note) - 1001

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by issybird

MI (the musical note) - 1001

Yes, that's good too.

If one starts at 12 [XII] and goes down to 1 [I], while using IIII for 4 the count is X's four, V's four & I's twenty. So maybe there was some reason for wanting these all to be even numbers? If the standard IV was used for 4 the count would be five V's and seventeen I's. Trouble with this guess is I really can't think of a reason that it would matter.

[Bilbo1967]

Would IV on a clock face be too easily confused with VI, especially if written at an angle?