16 in Roman numerals
XVI
The number 16 is written XVI in Roman numerals.
How XVI breaks down
| Symbols | Value |
|---|---|
X | 10 |
V | 5 |
I | 1 |
XVI | 16 |
Every symbol here is written in descending order and simply added together — no subtractive pairs are involved.
Nearby numbers
| Number | Roman numeral |
|---|---|
| 11 | XI |
| 12 | XII |
| 13 | XIII |
| 14 | XIV |
| 15 | XV |
| 16 | XVI |
| 17 | XVII |
| 18 | XVIII |
| 19 | XIX |
| 20 | XX |
| 21 | XXI |
The seven symbols
I | 1 | C | 100 |
V | 5 | D | 500 |
X | 10 | M | 1,000 |
L | 50 |
16 in other notations
| Roman | XVI |
| Binary | 10000 |
| Hexadecimal | 10 |
| Octal | 20 |
| Written out | sixteen |
Writing it by hand
Work down through the symbol values, taking as many of each as will fit before moving to the next. For 16:
X = 10 remaining: 6
V = 5 remaining: 1
I = 1 remaining: 0The result reads XVI — 3 characters, against 2 digits in Arabic numerals.
Frequently asked questions
What is 16 in Roman numerals?
XVI
How do you read XVI?
Work left to right, adding each symbol — except where a smaller symbol precedes a larger one, in which case it is subtracted. X is 10, V is 5, I is 1, giving 16 in total.
How do you write 16 in words?
sixteen.
Why is there no zero?
Roman numerals have no symbol for zero. The concept reached Europe only with Hindu-Arabic numerals, centuries after the system was in use — which is a large part of why it was eventually replaced for arithmetic.