Roman to Integer Conversion in DSA C# - Build from Scratch

Roman to Integer Conversion

📖 Scenario: Imagine you are building a simple tool to convert Roman numerals into regular numbers. This is useful in many places like reading old clocks, books, or historical dates.

🎯 Goal: You will create a program that takes a Roman numeral string and converts it into its integer value.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create a dictionary to map Roman numeral characters to their integer values.

Create a variable to hold the total integer value.

Use a loop to process the Roman numeral string and apply the conversion rules.

Print the final integer value.

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Roman numerals are used in clocks, book chapters, movie sequels, and historical dates. Converting them to integers helps computers understand and process these values.

💼 Career

Understanding how to map characters to values and apply rules with loops is a key skill in programming, useful in parsing, data processing, and algorithm design.

1

Create Roman Numeral Map

Create a dictionary called romanMap with these exact entries: 'I' = 1, 'V' = 5, 'X' = 10, 'L' = 50, 'C' = 100, 'D' = 500, 'M' = 1000.

DSA C#

# Your code here

Hint

Use Dictionary<char, int> and initialize it with the given Roman numeral keys and integer values.

2

Set Up Variables

Add a string variable called roman and set it to "MCMXCIV". Also create an integer variable called total and set it to 0.

DSA C#

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        Dictionary romanMap = new Dictionary
        {
            {'I', 1},
            {'V', 5},
            {'X', 10},
            {'L', 50},
            {'C', 100},
            {'D', 500},
            {'M', 1000}
        };

        // Your code here
    }
}

Hint

Declare roman as a string with value "MCMXCIV" and total as an int initialized to 0.

3

Convert Roman to Integer

Use a for loop with variable i from 0 to roman.Length - 1. Inside the loop, get the current value from romanMap[roman[i]]. If i + 1 < roman.Length and romanMap[roman[i]] < romanMap[roman[i + 1]], subtract the current value from total. Otherwise, add the current value to total.

DSA C#

        for (int i = 0; i < roman.Length; i++)
            int currentVal = romanMap[roman[i]];
            if (i + 1 < roman.Length && currentVal < romanMap[roman[i + 1]])
            {
                total -= currentVal;
            }
            else
            {
                total += currentVal;
            }
        }

Hint

Loop through each character in roman. Compare current and next values to decide whether to add or subtract.

4

Print the Result

Write Console.WriteLine(total); to print the final integer value after the loop.

DSA C#

Hint

Use Console.WriteLine(total); to show the final number.

Practice

1. What is the main rule to convert Roman numerals to integers?

easy

A. Subtract all values from the largest symbol

B. Multiply values of all symbols

C. Add values of symbols, subtract if a smaller symbol is before a larger one

D. Add values only if symbols are in alphabetical order

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand Roman numeral rules

   Roman numerals add values unless a smaller symbol is before a larger one, then subtract.

2. Step 2: Apply rule to conversion

   When converting, add values normally but subtract when a smaller symbol precedes a larger one.

3. Final Answer:

   Add values of symbols, subtract if a smaller symbol is before a larger one -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Roman numeral conversion rule = Add values of symbols, subtract if a smaller symbol is before a larger one [OK]

Hint: Subtract only when smaller symbol is before larger one [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Multiplying values instead of adding/subtracting
• Ignoring subtraction rule
• Adding all values without checking order

2. Which C# code snippet correctly initializes a dictionary for Roman numeral values?

easy

A. var map = new Dictionary { {'I', 1}, {'V', 5} };

B. var map = new Dictionary { {1, 'I'}, {5, 'V'} };

C. var map = new Dictionary { {'I', 1}, {'V', 5} };

D. var map = new Dictionary { {'I', "1"}, {'V', "5"} };

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify correct dictionary types

   Roman numerals are characters mapped to integer values, so Dictionary is correct.

2. Step 2: Check initialization syntax

   Initialization with curly braces and pairs like {'I', 1} is correct syntax in C#.

3. Final Answer:

   var map = new Dictionary { {'I', 1}, {'V', 5} }; -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Dictionary with correct pairs = var map = new Dictionary { {'I', 1}, {'V', 5} }; [OK]

Hint: Use Dictionary for Roman numeral mapping [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Swapping key and value types
• Using string keys instead of char
• Incorrect initialization syntax

3. What is the output of this C# code snippet?

string s = "IX";
var map = new Dictionary { {'I', 1}, {'V', 5}, {'X', 10} };
int result = 0;
for (int i = 0; i < s.Length; i++) {
  if (i + 1 < s.Length && map[s[i]] < map[s[i + 1]]) {
    result -= map[s[i]];
  } else {
    result += map[s[i]];
  }
}
Console.WriteLine(result);

medium

A. 9

B. 11

C. 6

D. 1

Solution

1. Step 1: Analyze loop and conditions

   For 'IX', at i=0: 'I' < 'X' so subtract 1; at i=1: add 10.

2. Step 2: Calculate result

   result = -1 + 10 = 9.

3. Final Answer:

   9 -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   IX = 9 [OK]

Hint: Subtract when current < next symbol, else add [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Adding all values without subtraction
• Off-by-one errors in loop
• Incorrect dictionary values

4. Find the error in this C# code for Roman to integer conversion:

var map = new Dictionary { {'I', 1}, {'V', 5}, {'X', 10} };
int result = 0;
for (int i = 0; i < s.Length - 1; i++) {
  if (map[s[i]] < map[s[i + 1]]) {
    result -= map[s[i]];
  } else {
    result += map[s[i]];
  }
}
result += map[s[s.Length - 1]];
Console.WriteLine(result);

medium

A. No error, code works correctly

B. Missing initialization of string s

C. Loop should run till i < s.Length, not s.Length - 1

D. Dictionary keys should be strings, not chars

Solution

1. Step 1: Check variable declarations

   The variable 's' is used but not declared or initialized, causing a compile error.

2. Step 2: Verify loop and dictionary usage

   Loop and dictionary usage are correct; only 's' is missing.

3. Final Answer:

   Missing initialization of string s -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Undefined variable s causes error = Missing initialization of string s [OK]

Hint: Always declare and initialize variables before use [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Forgetting to declare input string
• Incorrect loop range causing index errors
• Wrong dictionary key types

5. Given the Roman numeral string "MCMXCIV", what integer does the following C# code output?

string s = "MCMXCIV";
var map = new Dictionary {
  {'I', 1}, {'V', 5}, {'X', 10}, {'L', 50}, {'C', 100}, {'D', 500}, {'M', 1000}
};
int result = 0;
for (int i = 0; i < s.Length; i++) {
  if (i + 1 < s.Length && map[s[i]] < map[s[i + 1]]) {
    result -= map[s[i]];
  } else {
    result += map[s[i]];
  }
}
Console.WriteLine(result);

hard

A. 1494

B. 1904

C. 2000

D. 1994

Solution

1. Step 1: Break down the Roman numeral "MCMXCIV"

   M=1000, CM=900, XC=90, IV=4; sum = 1000 + 900 + 90 + 4.

2. Step 2: Calculate total value using code logic

   Code subtracts smaller before larger and adds others: 1000 - 100 + 1000 - 10 + 100 - 1 + 5 = 1994.

3. Final Answer:

   1994 -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   MCMXCIV = 1994 [OK]

Hint: Sum values, subtract when smaller precedes larger [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Adding all values without subtraction
• Misreading compound numerals like CM or XC
• Incorrect dictionary values