48 in Roman numerals
48 is written XLVIII. In chunks: XL (40) + V (5) + I (1) + I (1) + I (1) = 48.
The answer
XLVIII
48 in Roman numerals is XLVIII.
How XLVIII is built
To write it, split 48 into 40 + 8. 40 is XL, 8 is VIII, so 48 is XL then VIII: XLVIII.
To read it, XLVIII has 5 chunks, and XL is a take-away pair, worked out first and then added.
| Chunk | Worth | Why |
|---|---|---|
| XL | 40 | X before L: take away |
| V | 5 | Add |
| I | 1 | Add |
| I | 1 | Add |
| I | 1 | Add |
The mistake to watch for
Writing 48 as XLIIX
Wrong: XLIIX
XLIIX tries to take two I's away from X. Only one smaller letter can go in front of a bigger one, so 8 is VIII (5 + 3), which makes 48 XLVIII.
Check it with the converter
Type XLIIX to see why XLIIX is not 48. The rule numbers it gives are the three rules on the Roman numerals page.
Converter set to XLVIII (48).
Keep going
Questions parents ask
What is 48 in Roman numerals?
48 is XLVIII.
What comes before and after XLVIII?
47 is XLVII and 49 is XLIX.
Does XLVIII use subtraction?
Yes, once: X comes before the bigger L, so XL is 40. The other letters are added.
What is the biggest letter in XLVIII?
L, which is 50. XLVIII has 6 letters.
Careful reading is an 11+ skill
Reading all 6 letters of XLVIII in order is the careful checking 11+ papers reward. The free diagnostic covers all four subjects, with no card needed.