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 the number 1 by one to see how its numeral changes. 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 in standard Roman numerals: there is no zero symbol.
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 England, Year 3 children learn to tell the time on clocks with Roman numerals from I to XII, so I is one of the first numerals in the curriculum. Year 4 reads numerals to 100.
Want to practise more?
Explore the diagnostic for more practice activities.