8 in Roman Numerals
8 is written as VIII in Roman numerals.
How VIII is built
Roman numerals are written one place value at a time, largest first. 8 splits into 8 (ones), and each piece becomes its own group of symbols:
| Symbol | Value | Running total | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| V | 5 | 5 | |
| I | 1 | 6 | |
| I | 1 | 7 | |
| I | 1 | 8 |
Read left to right, the symbols add up: 5 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 8. VIII needs no subtractive pairs: every symbol in it is simply added, because no place value of 8 is a 4 or a 9.
The symbol V (5) is the largest one used to build VIII -- it also shows up in 49 other numbers between 1 and 100.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 8 in Roman numerals?
8 in Roman numerals is VIII. It is built from 4 symbol groups: V (5), I (1), I (1), I (1).
How do you write VIII as a number?
Add the symbol values left to right, subtracting whenever a smaller symbol sits before a larger one: 5 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 8.
Does VIII use subtractive notation?
No. None of the place values of 8 is a 4 or a 9, so every symbol in VIII is simply added.
What comes before and after 8 in Roman numerals?
7 is VII and 9 is IX. Counting up in Roman numerals changes only the lowest place until it rolls over, the same way decimal digits do.
How long is VIII compared to other numbers near 8?
VIII is 4 characters long. Roman numerals don't get longer in a straight line with the number they represent -- VII (7) is 3 characters and IX (9) is 2 characters, because each number is rebuilt from scratch out of the largest symbols that fit, not incremented digit by digit.
More Number Conversions
- Roman Numeral Converter (convert any number)
- Factors of 8
Nearby numbers
6 is VI, 7 is VII, 9 is IX, 10 is X.
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