If you were going to tell someone your phone number, how would you do it?
Let’s say your phone number is: 256-512-1024.
Would you write the number as CCLVI-CCCCXII-MXXIV (or CCLVI-CCCCXII-MXXIIII)?
There’s a purpose to this queston. It leads up to another question I have which is coming down the pike. 
Errrrr… Hsitory has never been my best subject, but wasn’t Alexander Graham Bell after the fall of the Roman Empire? 
[quote author=mariek link=board=3;threadid=751;start=0#7412 date=1064951131]
Let’s say your phone number is: 256-512-1024.
Would you write the number as CCLVI-CCCCXII-MXXIV (or CCLVI-CCCCXII-MXXIIII)?
[/quote]
I would write it as II-V-VI V-I-II I-0-II-IV, although I admit the 0 is an anachronism; I don’t believe the Romans had zeros.
I’m siding with Lector. It’s more conservative with characters, less deciphering, and takes into account that not all countries follow the 1-(234)-567-8900 system.
Now I’m curious-what other question?
The other question in still brewing. I haven’t yet had time to form it (the phrase in Latin).
As has been pointed out, not all countries follow this format for phone numbers, <<256-512-1024 >>; the placement of the dashes is quite abitrary, so what is the Roman way of writing 2,565,121,024? I’ve searched the 'net and come up empty handed.
BTW mariek, this is a suspiciously binary looking number - is that a clue to your next question?
Let me know when you figure it out. 
BTW mariek, this is a suspiciously binary looking number - is that a clue to your next question?
Curious, isn’t it? ;D
Wow, someone actually noticed that they’re powers of 2. Some of my favorite numbers are powers of 2, and others are just plain prime.
[quote author=mariek link=board=3;threadid=751;start=0#7441 date=1064973331]
Let me know when you figure it out.
[/quote]
OK, I have discovered that if roman numerals have an ‘upper half frame’ above them it means multiply the number by 100,000. And that the symbol for 10,000 is an M with 5 legs instead of 3, which can be typed as ‘((I))’. (However, the ((I)) is archaic, and I’m not sure if you can use both symbols at the same time).
(I can’t work out how to put an overbar on, so I’ll use an underline - turn your monitor upside down to see it properly )
So,
| ((I))((I))MMMMMDCLI | ((I))((I))MXXIIII
is (2x10,000+5x1000+500+100+50+1)x100,000 + (2x10,000+1,000+20+4) = 25,651x100,000 + 21,024 = 2,565,121,024!
Common alphabet mapping with some modification for zero and one would do.
with
0= O,
1= I,
2=ABC,
3=DEF,
4=GH,
5=JKL,
6=MN,
7=PRS,
8=TUV and
9=WXY,
256-512-1024 will be ALM-LIB-IOCH
[quote author=Phil link=board=3;threadid=751;start=0#7445 date=1064976188]
So,
| ((I))((I))MMMMMDCLI | ((I))((I))MXXIIII
is (2x10,000+5x1000+500+100+50+1)x100,000 + (2x10,000+1,000+20+4) = 25,651x100,000 + 21,024 = 2,565,121,024!
[/quote]
Ouch. I have a headache now. And this is why I decided not to major in math!
Me, too! I liked the alphabet way better. ;D
[quote author=mingshey link=board=3;threadid=751;start=0#7447 date=1064976800]
Common alphabet mapping with some modification for zero and one would do.
…
256-512-1024 will be ALM-LIB-IOCH
[/quote]
Well, mapping the numbers to the letters on the telephone wasn’t quite what I had in mind though.