3 in Roman numerals
III
The number 3 is written III in Roman numerals.
How III breaks down
| Symbols | Value |
|---|---|
III | 3 × 1 = 3 |
III | 3 |
Every symbol here is written in descending order and simply added together — no subtractive pairs are involved.
Nearby numbers
| Number | Roman numeral |
|---|---|
| 1 | I |
| 2 | II |
| 3 | III |
| 4 | IV |
| 5 | V |
| 6 | VI |
| 7 | VII |
| 8 | VIII |
The seven symbols
I | 1 | C | 100 |
V | 5 | D | 500 |
X | 10 | M | 1,000 |
L | 50 |
3 in other notations
| Roman | III |
| Binary | 11 |
| Hexadecimal | 3 |
| Octal | 3 |
| Written out | three |
Writing it by hand
Work down through the symbol values, taking as many of each as will fit before moving to the next. For 3:
3 × I = 3 remaining: 0The result reads III — 3 characters, against 1 digit in Arabic numerals. The verbosity at numbers like this is precisely why positional notation replaced the system for arithmetic.
Frequently asked questions
What is 3 in Roman numerals?
III
How do you read III?
Work left to right, adding each symbol — except where a smaller symbol precedes a larger one, in which case it is subtracted. III is 3.
How do you write 3 in words?
three.
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.