17 in Roman numerals
XVII
The number 17 is written XVII in Roman numerals.
How XVII breaks down
| Symbols | Value |
|---|---|
X | 10 |
V | 5 |
II | 2 × 1 = 2 |
XVII | 17 |
Every symbol here is written in descending order and simply added together — no subtractive pairs are involved.
Nearby numbers
| Number | Roman numeral |
|---|---|
| 12 | XII |
| 13 | XIII |
| 14 | XIV |
| 15 | XV |
| 16 | XVI |
| 17 | XVII |
| 18 | XVIII |
| 19 | XIX |
| 20 | XX |
| 21 | XXI |
| 22 | XXII |
The seven symbols
I | 1 | C | 100 |
V | 5 | D | 500 |
X | 10 | M | 1,000 |
L | 50 |
17 in other notations
| Roman | XVII |
| Binary | 10001 |
| Hexadecimal | 11 |
| Octal | 21 |
| Written out | seventeen |
Writing it by hand
Work down through the symbol values, taking as many of each as will fit before moving to the next. For 17:
X = 10 remaining: 7
V = 5 remaining: 2
2 × I = 2 remaining: 0The result reads XVII — 4 characters, against 2 digits in Arabic numerals.
Frequently asked questions
What is 17 in Roman numerals?
XVII
How do you read XVII?
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, II is 2, giving 17 in total.
How do you write 17 in words?
seventeen.
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.