1,988 in Roman numerals
MCMLXXXVIII
The number 1,988 is written MCMLXXXVIII in Roman numerals. As a year it appears in copyright lines and cornerstones written this way.
How MCMLXXXVIII breaks down
| Symbols | Value |
|---|---|
M | 1,000 |
CM | 900 |
L | 50 |
XXX | 3 × 10 = 30 |
V | 5 |
III | 3 × 1 = 3 |
MCMLXXXVIII | 1,988 |
This numeral uses the subtractive rule: a smaller symbol placed before a larger one is subtracted from it. Only six such pairs are legal — IV (4), IX (9), XL (40), XC (90), CD (400) and CM (900).
Nearby numbers
| Number | Roman numeral |
|---|---|
| 1,983 | MCMLXXXIII |
| 1,984 | MCMLXXXIV |
| 1,985 | MCMLXXXV |
| 1,986 | MCMLXXXVI |
| 1,987 | MCMLXXXVII |
| 1,988 | MCMLXXXVIII |
| 1,989 | MCMLXXXIX |
| 1,990 | MCMXC |
| 1,991 | MCMXCI |
| 1,992 | MCMXCII |
| 1,993 | MCMXCIII |
The seven symbols
I | 1 | C | 100 |
V | 5 | D | 500 |
X | 10 | M | 1,000 |
L | 50 |
1,988 in other notations
| Roman | MCMLXXXVIII |
| Binary | 11111000100 |
| Hexadecimal | 7C4 |
| Octal | 3704 |
| Written out | one thousand nine hundred and eighty-eight |
Writing it by hand
Work down through the symbol values, taking as many of each as will fit before moving to the next. For 1,988:
M = 1000 remaining: 988
CM = 900 remaining: 88
L = 50 remaining: 38
3 × X = 30 remaining: 8
V = 5 remaining: 3
3 × I = 3 remaining: 0The result reads MCMLXXXVIII — 11 characters, against 4 digits in Arabic numerals. The verbosity at numbers like this is precisely why positional notation replaced the system for arithmetic.
Frequently asked questions
What is 1,988 in Roman numerals?
MCMLXXXVIII
How do you read MCMLXXXVIII?
Work left to right, adding each symbol — except where a smaller symbol precedes a larger one, in which case it is subtracted. M is 1,000, CM is 900, L is 50, XXX is 30, V is 5, III is 3, giving 1,988 in total.
How do you write 1,988 in words?
one thousand nine hundred and eighty-eight.
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.