In Mathematics
8 is a composite number, its proper divisors being 1, 2, and 4. It is twice 4 or four times 2. Eight is a power of two, being (two cubed), and is the first number of the form, p being an integer greater than 1. It has an aliquot sum of 7 in the 4 member aliquot sequence (8,7,1,0) being the first member of 7-aliquot tree. It is symbolized by the Arabic numeral (figure)
All powers of 2 ;, have an aliquot sum of one less than themselves.
A number is divisible by 8 if its last 3 digits are also divisible by 8.
Eight is the first number to be the aliquot sum of two numbers other than itself; the discrete biprime 10, and the square number 49.
8 is the base of the octal number system, which is mostly used with computers. In octal, one digit represents 3 bits. In modern computers, a byte is a grouping of eight bits, also called an octet.
The number 8 is a Fibonacci number, being 3 plus 5. The next Fibonacci number is 13. 8 is the only positive Fibonacci number, aside from 1, that is a perfect cube.
8 is the order of the smallest non-abelian group all of whose subgroups are normal.
8 and 9 form a Ruth–Aaron pair under the second definition in which repeated prime factors are counted as often as they occur.
A polygon with eight sides is an octagon. Figurate numbers representing octagons (including eight) are called octagonal numbers. A polyhedron with eight faces is an octahedron. A cuboctahedron has as faces six equal squares and eight equal regular triangles.
A cube has eight vertices.
Sphenic numbers always have exactly eight divisors.
8 is the dimension of the octonions and is the highest possible dimension of a normed division algebra.
The number 8 is involved with a number of interesting mathematical phenomena related to the notion of Bott periodicity. For example if is the direct limit of the inclusions of real orthogonal groups then . Clifford algebras also display a periodicity of 8. For example the algebra is isomorphic to the algebra of 16 by 16 matrices with entries in . We also see a period of 8 in the K-theory of spheres and in the representation theory of the rotation groups, the latter giving rise to the 8 by 8 spinorial chessboard. All of these properties are closely related to the properties of the octonions.
The lowest dimensional even unimodular lattice is the 8-dimensional E8 lattice. Even positive definite unimodular lattice exist only in dimensions divisible by 8.
A figure 8 is the common name of a geometric shape, often used in the context of sports, such as skating. Figure-eight turns of a rope or cable around a cleat, pin, or bitt are used to belay something.
Read more about this topic: 8 (number)
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