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Number Buffet

Number analysis

48

48 is a composite even number that factors as 2^4 × 3.

48 is a composite even number that factors as 2^4 × 3.

Composite

The number itself

Value
48
Digits
2
Digit sum
12

4 + 8

Digit sum repeated until one digit remains; equals n mod 9 (with 9 for multiples of 9).

Reversed
84

Reverses to 84.

Parity and primality

Parity
Even

Divisible by 2.

Prime
No

Composite — it factors as 2^4 × 3.

2 distinct prime factors, 5 with multiplicity.

Squarefree
No

At least one prime appears squared.

Möbius μ(n)
0

Zero, because a squared prime divides n.

Nearest primes
47 ← → 53

A gap of 6 between them.

Divisors

1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 24, 48

Aliquot sum
76

The proper divisors — everything except n itself.

Classification
Abundant

Its proper divisors overshoot by 28.

How many integers from 1 to n share no factor with n.

Sums and additive structure

Sum of two squares
No

A prime congruent to 3 mod 4 divides it an odd number of times, which rules it out.

Sum of three squares
Yes

Legendre's three-square theorem allows it.

Sum of four squares
Yes

Lagrange's four-square theorem: every non-negative integer is, without exception.

Goldbach pair
5 + 43

The smallest pair of primes summing to n. Goldbach’s conjecture says one always exists; it remains unproven.

Shapes and sequences

Figurate shapes
None

Not triangular, square, pentagonal, hexagonal, cubic, Fibonacci, Lucas, Catalan, factorial or a power of two.

Digit curiosities

Summing the squares of its digits falls into the 4 → 16 → 37 → … → 4 cycle.

Harshad number
Yes

Divisible by its digit sum 12 — 48 ÷ 12 = 4.

Collatz trajectory
11 steps to 1

Peaks at 48 along the way.

Written other ways

Binary
110000
Octal
60
Base 36
1C
In words
forty-eight
Scientific notation
4.8 × 10^1

Is 48 a prime number?

Composite — it factors as 2^4 × 3.

Nearby numbers

Analyse any number up to a trillion · All generators

Other numeral systems

Beyond the bases and Roman numerals above, these notations write 48 their own way.

Greek (alphabetic)
ΜΗʹ
Babylonian cuneiform
𒐏𒐜
Tamil
௪௰௮

References

Further reading: Wikipedia · Wikidata

Notations, naming and the links above come from Wikidata, whose structured data is dedicated to the public domain under CC0-1.0. Retrieved 2026-10-07.