5.1.8

Roman Numerals

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Reading Roman Numerals

Roman numerals are the numbers used by people in Roman times.

Roman numerals

Roman numerals

  • In maths we tend to use 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 to write numbers.
  • The Romans used letters to show different numbers.
    • E.g. the number 2 is shown as two 1s (II).
    • E.g. the number 6 is shown as one 5 and one 1 (VI).
Rules of Roman numerals

Rules of Roman numerals

  • No single letter can be repeated more than 3 times.
  • If the digit to the right is a smaller number, you add it to the digit on the left:
    • VI →\rightarrow 5 and 1 →\rightarrow 5 + 1 = 6
  • If the digit to the left is a smaller number, you subtract it from the digit on the right:
    • IV →\rightarrow 1 and 5 →\rightarrow 5 − 1 = 4
Zero

Zero

  • The Romans did not have the idea of zero in their counting.
  • That means there is no zero in Roman numerals.
  • Roman numerals don't have place values like we use in maths.

Writing Roman Numerals up to 100

We can use our rules to write Roman numerals with amounts up to 100.

Multiples of 10.

Multiples of 10.

  • Certain multiples of 10 have special characters in Roman numerals.
    • E.g. the number 30 is written as three tens, XXX.
    • E.g. the number 55 is written as one fifty and one ten, LV.
Making up numbers

Making up numbers

  • To write a large number in Roman numerals, write the tens first and then the ones.
  • Then we add them together.
  • E.g. the number 76 is written as:
    • 70 is written as one five and two tens, LXX.
    • 6 is written as one five and one one, VI.
  • 76 is LXXVI in Roman numerals.
Rules

Rules

  • To make numbers up to 100, we need to add another rule.
  • A small letter to the left of a big letter has to be at least one-tenth of the big letter.
    • For example, for 99 we don't write IC.
    • I is equal to 1, which is less than one-tenth of 100 (10).
    • That means 99 is XCIX in Roman numerals.
Jump to other topics
1

Year 3 - Number

1.1

Number & Place Value

1.1.1Multiples1.1.2Counting in Multiples1.1.3Recognising Three-Digit Numbers1.1.4Finding 10 More or Less than a Number1.1.5Finding 100 More or Less than a Number1.1.6Ordering & Comparing Numbers up to 1,0001.1.7Writing & Reading Numbers1.1.8Representing Numbers
1.2

Addition & Subtraction

1.2.1Mental Addition & Subtraction1.2.2Column Method1.2.3Estimating Calculations1.2.4Inverse Operations1.2.5Missing Number Problems1.2.6Real-Life Problems
1.3

Multiplication & Division

1.3.1Times Tables1.3.2Using Times Tables1.3.3Multiplying Numbers1.3.4Missing Number Problems1.3.5Real-Life Problems
1.4

Fractions

1.4.1Tenths1.4.2Fractions1.4.3Fractions Equal to a Whole1.4.4Equivalent Fractions1.4.5Fractions of Shapes1.4.6Fractions of Amounts1.4.7Add & Subtract Fractions1.4.8Compare & Order Fractions
2

Year 3 - Measurement

2.1

Length

2.1.1Length2.1.2Comparing Lengths2.1.3Add & Subtract Lengths2.1.4Perimeter
2.2

Mass

2.2.1Mass2.2.2Comparing Masses2.2.3Add & Subtract Masses
2.3

Volume & Capacity

2.3.1Volume & Capacity2.3.2Comparing Volumes2.3.3Add & Subtract Volumes
2.4

Money

2.4.1Money2.4.2Counting Money2.4.3Adding & Subtracting Money
2.5

Time

2.5.1Units of Time2.5.2Clocks2.5.3Telling the Time2.5.4Time of the Day2.5.512-Hour & 24-Hour Clocks2.5.6Measuring Time
3

Year 3 - Geometry

3.1

Angles

3.1.1Angles in Degrees3.1.2Types of Angle
3.2

Properties of Shapes

3.2.12D Shapes3.2.23D Shapes
3.3

Straight Lines

3.3.1Straight Lines3.3.2Parallel & Perpendicular Lines
4

Year 3 - Statistics

4.1

Statistics

4.1.1Statistics4.1.2Pictograms & Bar Charts
5

Year 4 - Number

5.1

Number & Place Value

5.1.1Counting in Multiples5.1.2Recognising Four Digit Numbers5.1.3Find 1,000 More or Less than a Number5.1.4Negative Numbers5.1.5Ordering & Comparing Numbers Over 1,0005.1.6Representing Numbers5.1.7Rounding Numbers5.1.8Roman Numerals
5.2

Addition & Subtraction

5.2.1Written Methods for Adding Large Numbers5.2.2Written Methods for Subtracting Large Numbers5.2.3Estimation & Inverse Operations5.2.4Solving Two-Step Problems
5.3

Multiplication & Division

5.3.1Times Tables5.3.2Using Times Tables5.3.3Multiplication Rules5.3.4Column Method5.3.5Factors
5.4

Fractions & Decimals

5.4.1Identifying Equivalent Fractions5.4.2Adding & Subtracting Fractions5.4.3Hundredths5.4.4Decimals5.4.5Converting Between Decimals & Fractions5.4.6Rounding Decimals5.4.7Ordering Decimals
6

Year 4 - Measurement

6.1

Units

6.1.1Metric Measurements6.1.2Adding & Subtracting Money
6.2

Time

6.2.1Converting Units of Time6.2.2Changing the 12-Hour Clock to the 24-Hour Clock6.2.3Changing the 24-hour Clock to the 12-Hour Clock
7

Year 4 - Geometry

7.1

Properties of Shapes

7.1.1Symmetry7.1.2Types of Triangle7.1.3Quadrilaterals
7.2

Perimeter & Area

7.2.1Perimeter7.2.2Area
7.3

Position & Direction

7.3.1Coordinates7.3.2Translation
8

Year 4 - Statistics

8.1

Statistics

8.1.1Types of Data8.1.2Pictograms & Bar Charts8.1.3Line Graphs

Practice questions on Roman Numerals

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    What is 1 in Roman numerals?Multiple choice
  2. 2
    What is 3 in Roman numerals?Multiple choice
  3. 3
    What is the number represented by the Roman numeral 'IX'?Multiple choice
  4. 4
    What is the number represented by the Roman numeral 'VIII'?Multiple choice
  5. 5
    What is 80 in Roman numerals?Multiple choice
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Rounding Numbers

Written Methods for Adding Large Numbers