1 in Roman numerals
1 is written I. I is a letter of its own.
The answer
I
1 in Roman numerals is I.
How I is built
To write it, 1 is less than 10, so there are no tens to write: 1 is I.
To read it, I is one letter, so there is nothing to add up.
| Chunk | Worth | Why |
|---|---|---|
| I | 1 | Add |
The mistake to watch for
Mixing up I with l or 1
In many typefaces the capital letter I looks just like a small l or the digit 1. In Roman numerals it is always the capital letter I. When you write it by hand, a short line across the top and the bottom makes it clear.
Check it with the converter
Change I by one letter to see which number you get. The rule numbers it gives are the three rules on the Roman numerals page.
Converter set to I (1).
Keep going
Questions parents ask
What is 1 in Roman numerals?
1 is I.
What comes before and after I?
2 is II. Nothing comes before I: the Romans had no numeral for 0.
Does I use subtraction?
No. I is a single letter, so there is nothing to take away.
What is the biggest letter in I?
I, which is 1. I is a single letter.
Where might you see I?
On clock faces, where the hours from I to XII go round the dial, and in the names of rulers such as Queen Elizabeth I.
When do children learn I?
In Year 3. The national curriculum has Year 3 children tell the time on clocks with Roman numerals from I to XII, so I is one of the first numerals they meet. Year 4 then reads numerals to 100.
Careful reading is an 11+ skill
Knowing I is 1 at a glance is the quick recall 11+ papers reward. The free diagnostic covers all four subjects, with no card needed.