# 256 (number)

 ← 255 256 257 →
Cardinaltwo hundred fifty-six
Ordinal256th
(two hundred fifty-sixth)
Factorization28
Greek numeralΣΝϚ´
Roman numeralCCLVI
Binary1000000002
Ternary1001113
Senary11046
Octal4008
Duodecimal19412

256 (two hundred [and] fifty-six) 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.[1]
• 256 is a perfect square (162).
• 256 is the only 3-digit number that is zenzizenzizenzic. It is 2 to the 8th power or ${\displaystyle ((2^{2})^{2})^{2}}$.
• 256 is the lowest number that is a product of eight prime factors.
• 256 is the number of parts in all compositions of 7.[2]

## In computing

One octet (in most cases one byte) is equal to eight bits and has 28 or 256 possible values, counting from 0 to 255. The number 256 often appears in computer applications (especially on 8-bit systems) 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 or Web colors).
• The number of colors available in a GIF or a 256-color (8-bit) bitmap.
• The number of characters in extended ASCII[3] and Latin-1.[4]
• The number of columns available in a Microsoft Excel worksheet until Excel 2007.[5]
• The high-definition gaming console utilizes 256-bit CPU/GPU starting Xbox 360[6] before the introduction of the current gaming consoles in 2010's and 2020's especially Nintendo Switch.
• The split-screen level in Pac-Man, which results from the use of a single byte to store the internal level counter.
• A 256-bit integer can represent up to 115,792,089,237,316,195,423,570,985,008,687,907,853,269,984,665,640,564,039,457,584,007,913,129,639,936 values.[7]
• The number of bits in the SHA-256 cryptographic hash.
• The branding number of nVidia's GeForce 256.

256 is also:

## References

1. ^ "Power Tower." MathWorld. Archived April 27, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
2. ^ Sloane, N. J. A. (ed.). "Sequence A001792". The On-Line Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences. OEIS Foundation.
3. ^ "ASCII character chart." Microsoft. Archived January 19, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
4. ^ "Windows 28591." Microsoft. Archived July 24, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
5. ^ "Improving Performance in Excel 2007: The ‘Big Grid’ and Increased Limits in Excel 2007." Microsoft. Archived December 7, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
6. ^
7. ^ "Google Search Engine Tools Results". Retrieved 10 September 2015.
8. ^ "Eight-dot Braille". www.brailleauthority.org. Retrieved 2022-05-15.
9. ^ "Flex your fingers for 10-digit dialing in 2010 - al.com". 2009-04-08. Archived from the original on 2009-04-08. Retrieved 2022-05-15.
10. ^ Kelly DH, Sansone FE (1981). "Clinical estimation of fundamental frequency: the 3M Plastiform Magnetic Tape Viewer". J Commun Disord. 14 (2): 123–5. doi:10.1016/0021-9924(81)90004-6. PMID 7251914. When a need to convert from matched pitch to fundamental frequency arises, the problem is, perhaps, further compounded by training in which the speech clinician refers to middle C as 256 Hz (scientific pitch), while middle C in musical pitch is 262 Hz (Josephs, 1967)
11. ^ Rohl, David M. (1996). Pharaohs and kings a biblical quest. Crown Publishers. p. 228. ISBN 978-0-517-70315-1.
12. ^ Rohl, David M. (1996). Pharaohs and kings a biblical quest. Crown Publishers. p. 231. ISBN 978-0-517-70315-1.
13. ^ "Gracenote Lyrics: Three-Five-Zero-Zero." Answers.com. Archived June 28, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
14. ^ "Oxford Companion to Military History: infantry." Answers.com. Archived May 22, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
15. ^ "2010 Winter Games." NBC Olympics. Archived March 1, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
16. ^ Traikos, Michael, Canwest Olympic Team. "Bronze makes Apolo Ohno the most decorated Winter Olympian in U.S. history." The Vancouver Sun. 2010-02-20. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on February 23, 2010. Retrieved June 22, 2017.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
17. ^ "Hands-On With The 256-Player MAG Beta." Game Informer. 2010-01-06. Archived October 18, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
18. ^ Baron, Salo W. (1957). Social and Religious History of the Jews - V.4 Meeting of East and West (2nd ed.). Columbia University Press. p. 96. ISBN 978-0-231-08841-1.