Definition
Numeral
A numeral is the written mark or set of marks used to show a number.
What it means
A number is a mathematical idea; a numeral is a way to write that idea. The number twelve can be shown by the numeral 12 or by the Roman numeral XII. In 12, the symbols 1 and 2 are digits, and together they form one numeral.
Remember it
Number is the idea. Numeral is the writing that shows the idea.
Example
A tray holds eight buttons. Eight is the number of buttons, and 8 is the numeral used to record that number. In the numeral 58, the two digits are 5 and 8.
Watch for
Eight buttons show a quantity, but the buttons are not a numeral. A numeral appears when the number is represented in writing.
Common mix-up
A digit is one symbol, such as 5. A numeral can use one digit, such as 5, or several digits, such as 58.
Exact meaning
A numeral is a written form that denotes a number in a notation system. One number can be shown by different numerals, and a single numeral may use one symbol or several.