56 (number)
From Halbeeg, the open encyclopedia · Af-Soomaali
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56 is a natural number that falls in the sequence between 55 and 57. It is composed of two digits when written in the decimal system: 5 and 6.
56 is an even number, since it is divisible by 2 without remainder. It is also a composite number, meaning it has divisors other than 1 and itself.
Mathematical properties
The divisors of 56 are 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 14, 28, and 56. Its prime factorization is 2³ × 7. The sum of its proper divisors is 64, which is greater than 56—therefore 56 is classified as an abundant number.
56 is also a tetrahedral number, representing the number of spheres that can be stacked to form a three-dimensional pyramid with a triangular base. It is additionally the product 7 × 8, making it part of the multiplication table for seven and eight.
General use
Like other numbers, 56 is used for counting, measurement, and notation—for example in road numbers, years, and telephone country codes in certain countries. Most such uses are matters of convention and administration, not derived from the mathematical properties of the number.