How to Count From One to Ten in Roman Numerals

Things to Remember

• 1

  The letter I = 1.

  The letter V = 5.

  The letter X = 10.

• 2

  The letters are added together. For example, III means 3, because 1 + 1 + 1 = 3. VIII means 8, because 5 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 8.

• 3

  No more than three letters are used in a row. VIII is used, but VIIII is not.

• 4

  If the letter representing a smaller number is used directly before a letter representing a larger number, the amount of the smaller number is subtracted from the larger number. For example, IV means 4, because I is before V, meaning 5 - 1, which equals 4. IX is 9, because 10 - 1 = 9.

1 to 5

• 5

  1 is written as I.

• 6

  2 is written as II.

• 7

  3 is written as III.

• 8

  4 is written as IV.

• 9

  5 is written as V.

6 to 10

• 10

  6 is written as VI.

• 11

  7 is written as VII.

• 12

  8 is written as VIII.

• 13

  9 is written as IX.

• 14

  10 is written as X.