Roman Numerals Worksheets
Read and write Roman numerals, from I and V to C, D and M.
Worksheets
A number system that survived 2,000 years
Roman numerals still appear on clock faces, book chapters, film copyright dates and the Super Bowl, so a little fluency is genuinely useful. The system uses seven letters — I (1), V (5), X (10), L (50), C (100), D (500) and M (1,000) — and two simple rules: add when a smaller letter follows a larger one (VI = 6), subtract when it comes before (IV = 4).
Roman numerals make a lovely link between maths and history. There is no zero and no place value, which is exactly why they are awkward for long calculations and why the Hindu-Arabic system that we use today won out.
Questions parents ask
What are the basic Roman numerals?
I = 1, V = 5, X = 10, L = 50, C = 100, D = 500, M = 1,000. Smaller before larger means subtract (IX = 9); smaller after larger means add (XI = 11).
Why is there no zero in Roman numerals?
The Romans had no symbol for zero. They used words such as 'nulla' when they needed to say 'none'.
