Modern use of Roman numerals adheres to the traditional and standardized system where the number four is represented as "IV" and not "IIII". This standard is followed in various contexts, including academic, educational, cultural, and historical references. Here are a few reasons why "IV" is used universally:
Correct Application of Rules: The Roman numeral system uses a combination of addition and subtraction principles. "IV" correctly demonstrates the subtractive principle, where "V" (5) minus "I" (1) equals 4.
Clarity and Consistency: Using "IV" provides clarity and maintains consistency across all numbers represented in Roman numerals. This uniformity helps prevent confusion and misunderstandings.
Historical and Cultural Accuracy: The use of "IV" for four is historically and culturally accurate, reflecting how Romans originally used their numeral system.
Global Standardization: The representation of numbers in Roman numerals is standardized globally. Therefore, "IV" is recognized and used universally for the number four.
While it's conceivable that in some non-standard or creative contexts, one might see "IIII" used for artistic or stylistic reasons, this would be considered incorrect or unconventional in the context of using Roman numerals for denoting the number four. The correct and conventional way to write the number four is "IV".