Converting Integers to Roman Numerals - Java

java, methods, roman-numerals

Solution

A compact implementation using Java TreeMap and recursion:

import java.util.TreeMap;

public class RomanNumber {

    private final static TreeMap<Integer, String> map = new TreeMap<Integer, String>();

    static {

        map.put(1000, "M");
        map.put(900, "CM");
        map.put(500, "D");
        map.put(400, "CD");
        map.put(100, "C");
        map.put(90, "XC");
        map.put(50, "L");
        map.put(40, "XL");
        map.put(10, "X");
        map.put(9, "IX");
        map.put(5, "V");
        map.put(4, "IV");
        map.put(1, "I");

    }

    public final static String toRoman(int number) {
        int l =  map.floorKey(number);
        if ( number == l ) {
            return map.get(number);
        }
        return map.get(l) + toRoman(number-l);
    }

}

Testing:

public void testRomanConversion() {

    for (int i = 1; i<= 100; i++) {
        System.out.println(i+"\t =\t "+RomanNumber.toRoman(i));
    }

}

Problem

This is a homework assignment I am having trouble with. I need to make an integer to Roman Numeral converter using a method. Later, I must then use the program to write out 1 to 3999 in Roman numerals, so hardcoding is out. My code below is very bare-bones; it is a basic I/O loop with a way to exit while using a package for `getIntegerFromUser` we made in class. Is there a way to assign values to Strings and then add them together when I call the method? Update: I got some pseudo code from my professor to help me, and while I understand what he is trying to say, I am having some trouble with the `if`s. Will I be needing many, many `if` statements so that my converter will correctly handle the Roman numeral formatting or is there a manner in which I can do this with more efficiency? I've updated my code to reflect my placeholder method. Update (Oct 28 2012): I got it working. Here's what I ended up using: ``` public static String IntegerToRomanNumeral(int input) { if (input < 1 || input > 3999) return "Invalid Roman Number Value"; String s = ""; while (input >= 1000) { s += "M"; input -= 1000; } while (input >= 900) { s += "CM"; input -= 900; } while (input >= 500) { s += "D"; input -= 500; } while (input >= 400) { s += "CD"; input -= 400; } while (input >= 100) { s += "C"; input -= 100; } while (input >= 90) { s += "XC"; input -= 90; } while (input >= 50) { s += "L"; input -= 50; } while (input >= 40) { s += "XL"; input -= 40; } while (input >= 10) { s += "X"; input -= 10; } while (input >= 9) { s += "IX"; input -= 9; } while (input >= 5) { s += "V"; input -= 5; } while (input >= 4) { s += "IV"; input -= 4; } while (input >= 1) { s += "I"; input -= 1; } return s; } ```

Original source