Roman Numerals

Roman numerals are a way of writing numbers using letters. They were made by the ancient Romans long ago. People still use them today on clocks and in books. The letters stand for different values. You can add them together to make bigger numbers.

The Letters

There are seven main letters used in Roman numerals. I is 1, V is 5, and X is 10. L is 50 and C is 100. D is 500 and M is 1,000. You mix these letters to write any number.

A clock in Germany with Roman numerals showing the hours.
A clock in Germany with Roman numerals showing the hours. (JuergenG / Wikimedia Commons)

How They Work

To make numbers, you add the letters together. For example, II means 2 and XII means 12. If a smaller letter comes before a bigger one, you subtract. So IV means 4 and IX means 9. This makes Roman numerals tricky but fun to read.

Fun Facts

  • There is no zero in Roman numerals.
  • The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals in its name each year.
  • Many old clocks show the hours in Roman numerals.

Did You Know?

The biggest number you can normally write in Roman numerals is 3,999, which looks like MMMCMXCIX.