256 (number)

← 255 257 → 256
← 200 210 220 230 240 250 260 270 280 290 → List of numbers — Integers ← 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 →
Cardinal	two hundred [and] fifty-six
Ordinal	256th (two hundred [and] fifty-sixth)
Factorization	$256 = 2^8$
Roman numeral	CCLVI
Binary	1000000002
Octal	4008
Duodecimal	19412
Hexadecimal	10016

256 (two hundred [and] fifty-six, CCLVI) is the natural number following 255 and preceding 257.

In mathematics

256 is a composite number, with the factorization 256 = 2⁸, which makes it a power of two.

• 256 is 4 raised to the 4th power, so in tetration notation 256 is $^24$.
• 256 is a perfect square (16$^2$).
• 256 is the largest 3-digit number that is zenzizenzizenzic (see the 8th powers). It is 2 to the 8th power or $((2^2)^2)^2$.

In computing, one byte is equal to eight bits and has 2$^8$ or 256 possible values, counting from 0 to 255. The number 256 often appears in computer applications (with 8-bit systems being extremely common) such as:

• The typical number of different values in each color channel of a digital color image (256 values for red, 256 values for green, and 256 values for blue used for 24-bit color) (see color space).
• The number of colors available in a GIF or a 256 color (8-bit) bitmap.
• The number of number of characters in extended ASCII and Latin-1.
• The number of columns available in a Microsoft Excel worksheet until Excel 2007.
• The split-screen level in Pacman, which results from the use of a single byte to store the internal level counter.

Two hundred fifty-six is also:

• The number of characters in the new Braille 8-dot system.
• An area code in Alabama.
• The number of NFL regular season football games.
• The frequency of Middle C in hertz under scientific pitch.
• The number of the Amarna letter (EA256), which, according to David Rohl, was written by Ishbaal and contains mentions of King David, Jesse, and Joab.
• The number of captured Viet Cong in the song "Three-Five-Zero-Zero" of the musical Hair.
• The number of soldiers in the most basic unit (the syntagma) of the Macedonian army.
• The number used by short track speed skating Olympian Apolo Ohno.
• The number of players online in Domination mode in the game MAG.
• The number value in Hebrew Gematria of the word רָנּוּ (ronna) (meaning "sing"), which appears in Jeremiah 31:6, "Sing with gladness for Jacob," and was associated with a prophecy of the return of the Messiah in the Hebrew year 4856 (1095–1096), which was close to the 256th lunar cycle (each cycle lasting 19 years), when the Jews were persecuted during the First Crusade.