Question

Choose the smallest of the following.

• A. CC
• B. CLX
• C. XCV
• D. XCIX

Answer 1

The correct option is C XCV

We know that I = 1, V = 5, X = 10, L = 50 and C = 100.

Also, when a Roman numeral with the larger value is on the left, we add the values together and when it is on the right, we subtract the values.

$\therefore$ CC = 100 + 100 = 200

CLX = 100 + 50 + 10 = 160

XCV = (100 - 10) + 5 = 90 + 5 = 95

XCIX = (100 - 10) + (10 - 1)
= 100 + 10 - 10 - 1
= 99

Since $95<99<160<200,$ we have XCV to be the smallest.