Roman numerals

Roman numerals are a system for writing numbers using letters from the Latin alphabet. Like the ones you learned in school - I, V, X, L, C, D, and M. They stand for 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, 500, and, respectively, 1,000. These letters represent specific numbers; combining them differently gives you Roman numerals. For example, MMXXIV gives you the year 2024.

Roman numeralNumber
I1
V5
X10
L50
C100
D500
M1000

Roman numerals are still useful. You might see them on buildings, clocks, and even book titles. They are often used to add elegance and sophistication to designs. Additionally, they provide a unique and fancy look to numbers.

Roman Numeral Converter

Numbers to Roman Numerals or
Roman Numerals to Numbers


Why are Roman numerals important?

Roman numerals are significant because they have a long history, having been used for over 2,000 years. They have played a crucial role in the development of mathematics and science. Additionally, many people find their appearance quite appealing!


How do Roman numerals work?

Roman numerals work by combining those seven basic letters in different ways. It's like a secret code! When you see a smaller letter before a bigger one, it means you subtract the smaller one from the bigger one.

Roman numerals combine the seven basic letters (I, V, X, L, C, D, and M) to signify different numbers: 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, 500, and, 1,000.

The basic rules for combining these letters are:

  1. When a smaller letter appears before a larger one, it is subtracted from the larger one. For example, IV represents 4 (5 - 1), and IX represents 9 (10 - 1).
  2. Large numbers followed by small numbers you ADD For example, VI represents 6 (5+1), or XI represents 11 (10+1).
  3. When the numbers repeat: ADD. For example, XX represents 20 (10+10), or CC represents 200 (100+100).
  4. The same letter cannot be used more than three times consecutively. V, L, and D cannot be repeated; each appears once. For example you use X for 10 not VV.

Where do Roman numerals come from?

Roman numerals are original to ancient Rome and were used for activities such as counting and record-keeping or displaying the numbers on buildings. The ancient Romans developed the system, which was later adopted by other cultures. Today, Roman numerals are widely used and recognized around the world.

Roman Numerals Chart 1-100

NumberRoman Numeral
1I
2II
3III
4IV
5V
6VI
7VII
8VIII
9IX
10X
11XI
12XII
13XIII
14XIV
15XV
16XVI
17XVII
18XVIII
19XIX
20XX
21XXI
22XXII
23XXIII
24XXIV
25XXV
26XXVI
27XXVII
28XXVIII
29XXIX
30XXX
31XXXI
32XXXII
33XXXIII
34XXXIV
35XXXV
36XXXVI
37XXXVII
38XXXVIII
39XXXIX
40XL
41XLI
42XLII
43XLIII
44XLIV
45XLV
46XLVI
47XLVII
48XLVIII
49XLIX
50L
51LI
52LII
53LIII
54LIV
55LV
56LVI
57LVII
58LVIII
59LIX
60LX
61LXI
62LXII
63LXIII
64LXIV
65LXV
66LXVI
67LXVII
68LXVIII
69LXIX
70LXX
71LXXI
72LXXII
73LXXIII
74LXXIV
75LXXV
76LXXVI
77LXXVII
78LXXVIII
79LXXIX
80LXXX
81LXXXI
82LXXXII
83LXXXIII
84LXXXIV
85LXXXV
86LXXXVI
87LXXXVII
88LXXXVIII
89LXXXIX
90XC
91XCI
92XCII
93XCIII
94XCIV
95XCV
96XCVI
97XCVII
98XCVIII
99XCIX
100C

 

Popular Roman Numerals

NumberRoman Numeral
101CI
102CII
200CC
300CCC
400CD
500D
600DC
700DCC
800DCCC
900CM
1,000M
1,001MI
1,002MII
1,900MCM
1,984MCMLXXXIV
2,000MM
2,001MMI
3,000MMM
4,000I̅V̅
5,000

Note: For numbers 4000 and above, the Roman numerals use a special notation:

  • V̅ represents 5000 (V with a bar over it)
  • I̅V̅ represents 4000 (IV with bars over them)