496 (number)

496 (four hundred [and] ninety-six) is the natural number following 495 and preceding 497.

← 495 496 497 →
List of numbers Integers ← 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 →
Cardinal	four hundred ninety-six
Ordinal	496th (four hundred ninety-sixth)
Factorization	24 × 31
Greek numeral	ΥϞϚ´
Roman numeral	CDXCVI
Binary	1111100002
Ternary	2001013
Senary	21446
Octal	7608
Duodecimal	35412
Hexadecimal	1F016

In mathematics

496 is most notable for being a perfect number, and one of the earliest numbers to be recognized as such. 496 is also a harmonic divisor number.

The group E₈ has real dimension 496.

In physics

The number 496 is a very important number in superstring theory. In 1984, Michael Green and John H. Schwarz realized that one of the necessary conditions for a superstring theory to make sense is that the dimension of the gauge group of type I string theory must be 496. The group is therefore SO(32). Their discovery started the first superstring revolution. It was realized in 1985 that the heterotic string can admit another possible gauge group, namely E₈ x E₈.

Telephone numbers

The UK's Ofcom reserves telephone numbers in many dialing areas in the 496 local block for fictional purposes, such as 0114 496-1234.

See also

• AD 496