Roman Numeral Converter
Convert any number from 1 to 3999 into Roman numerals, or convert a Roman numeral back into a number.
How Roman Numerals Work
Roman numerals build every number from seven symbols: I (1), V (5), X (10), L (50), C (100), D (500), and M (1000). Symbols are added left to right in decreasing value, except when a smaller symbol comes before a larger one, which means subtract instead of add.
Worked example
Convert 1994 to Roman numerals.
1994 = 1000 + 900 + 90 + 4
1000 = M, 900 = CM, 90 = XC, 4 = IV
1994 = MCMXCIV
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the basic Roman numeral symbols?
I = 1, V = 5, X = 10, L = 50, C = 100, D = 500, M = 1000. Every other number is built by combining these.
Why is 4 written as IV instead of IIII?
Roman numerals use a subtractive rule: a smaller symbol placed before a larger one is subtracted rather than added. IV means 5 − 1 = 4. Writing IIII (four I's in a row) works arithmetically but isn't the standard modern form, which limits a symbol to appearing no more than three times in a row.
What's the largest number you can write in standard Roman numerals?
3999, written MMMCMXCIX. Standard notation caps at three repetitions of M (3000), and there's no single symbol for anything larger without extending the system (historically done with a bar, called a vinculum, over a numeral to multiply it by 1000).
Is there a Roman numeral for zero?
No. The Romans didn't have a symbol for zero in this system — it wasn't needed for the counting and record-keeping the numerals were built for.
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