48 in Roman numerals
XLVIII
The number 48 is written XLVIII in Roman numerals.
How XLVIII breaks down
| Symbols | Value |
|---|---|
XL | 40 |
V | 5 |
III | 3 × 1 = 3 |
XLVIII | 48 |
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 |
|---|---|
| 43 | XLIII |
| 44 | XLIV |
| 45 | XLV |
| 46 | XLVI |
| 47 | XLVII |
| 48 | XLVIII |
| 49 | XLIX |
| 50 | L |
| 51 | LI |
| 52 | LII |
| 53 | LIII |
The seven symbols
I | 1 | C | 100 |
V | 5 | D | 500 |
X | 10 | M | 1,000 |
L | 50 |
48 in other notations
| Roman | XLVIII |
| Binary | 110000 |
| Hexadecimal | 30 |
| Octal | 60 |
| Written out | forty-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 48:
XL = 40 remaining: 8
V = 5 remaining: 3
3 × I = 3 remaining: 0The result reads XLVIII — 6 characters, against 2 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 48 in Roman numerals?
XLVIII
How do you read XLVIII?
Work left to right, adding each symbol — except where a smaller symbol precedes a larger one, in which case it is subtracted. XL is 40, V is 5, III is 3, giving 48 in total.
How do you write 48 in words?
forty-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.