The ARABIC function in Google Sheets is a useful tool for converting Roman numerals into their corresponding Arabic numeral values. This function simplifies the task of interpreting Roman numeral representations, facilitating calculations and data analysis.

Syntax

ARABIC(roman_numeral)

• roman_numeral: The Roman numeral that needs to be converted to an Arabic numeral. It should be a string enclosed in quotation marks or a reference to a cell containing the numeral.

Example #1

=ARABIC("XIV")

This function converts the Roman numeral “XIV” to its Arabic counterpart, producing a result of 14.

Example #2

=ARABIC("CCXLVI")

Here, the function translates the Roman numeral “CCXLVI” into Arabic numerals, yielding 246 as the result.

Example #3

=ARABIC("MCMXCIX")

This call converts the Roman numeral “MCMXCIX” to an Arabic numeral, resulting in 1999.

Error handling

• VALUE!: This error occurs if the input is not a valid Roman numeral.
• NUM!: This error appears if the Roman numeral exceeds the maximum representable value in Arabic numerals.
• REF!: This error happens if the function references a cell that does not contain valid input.

Conclusion

The ARABIC function in Google Sheets is a straightforward yet powerful feature for converting Roman numerals to Arabic numerals. Understanding its syntax and potential errors allows users to enhance their spreadsheet functionalities effectively.