28 (number)
Encyclopedia : 2 : 28 : 28N : 28 (number)
28 (twenty-eight) is the natural number following 27 and preceding 29.
| Cardinal | 28 twenty-eight |
| Ordinal | 28th twenty-eighth |
| Factorization | [2^2 \cdot 7] |
| Roman numeral | XXVIII |
| Binary | 11100 |
| Hexadecimal | 1C |
In mathematics
It is a composite number, its proper divisors being 1, 2, 4, 7 and 14, making it a perfect number and a harmonic divisor number.Twenty-eight is the second perfect number. As a perfect number, it is related to the Mersenne prime 7, since 22(23 - 1) = 28. The next perfect number is 496, the previous being 6.
Twenty-eight is a triangular number, a hexagonal number and a centered nonagonal number. Twenty-eight is the sum of the first five prime numbers, and the sum of the totient function for the first nine integers.
It appears in the Padovan sequence, preceded by the terms 12, 16, 21 (it is the sum of the first two of these).
It is also a Keith number, because it recurs in a Fibonacci-like sequence started from its base 10 digits: 2, 8, 10, 18, 28...
Twenty-eight is the ninth and last number in early Indian Magic square of order 3.
In science
- The atomic number of nickel
- The fourth Magic number (physics)
Astronomy
- Messier object M28, a magnitude 8.5 globular cluster in the constellation Sagittarius
- The New General Catalogue [object] NGC 28, an elliptical galaxy in the constellation Phoenix
- The Saros [number] of the solar eclipse series which began on -1910 March 22 and ended on -630 April 28. The duration of Saros series 28 was 1280.1 years, and it contained 72 solar eclipses.
- The Saros [number] of the lunar eclipse series which began on -1915 June 27 and ended on -581 September 6. The duration of Saros series 28 was 1334.2 years, and it contained 75 lunar eclipses.
- The planet Saturn revolves around the Sun in approximately 28 years. This is acknowledged in Astrology and in cultures or religions that base partly on it (see below, other fields)
In other fields
Twenty-eight is:- The number of days in the shortest month of the Gregorian calendar, February (except in leap years, when there are twenty-nine). All twelve months of the Gregorian calendar have at least 28 days, regardless of the year.
- Years normally follow a 28-year cycle, since there are seven days in a week and leap year occurs every four years; a calendar from 28 years ago is the same as this year's (a year like 1900, non-leap though divisible by four, breaks the pattern).
- The common name for the parrot Barnardius zonarius semitorquatus, widely distributed in Western Australia and South Australia. Its call sounds like "wenniate".
- The number of letters in the Danish and Swedish alphabets (not counting W), and also in the Arabic and Esperanto alphabets.
- In neo-Nazi circles, twenty-eight indicates Blood and Honour (28 = BH - B - second letter of the alphabet and H - the eight letter).
- Part of the title of a romantic comedy movie 28 Days, and an unrelated science fiction movie 28 Days Later.
- Part of the name of a well known indie rock band from Melbourne, Australia called 28 Days - the name is unrelated to either of the movies above.
- The number of Chinese constellations, "Xiu" or "mansions" (a literal translation), equivalent to the 12 western zodiac constellations.
- The number of normal human teeth, not including the third molars (wisdom teeth).
- The number of dominoes in standard domino sets.
- The number of Scudetto won by Turin-based football club, Juventus F.C..
- Deriving from the 28 year cycle of Saturns revolution around the Sun, the 28-year cycle as well as its subdivisions by 14 and 7 are supposed in Astrology to mark significant turning points or sections in the course of a persons development in life. Thus, the number 28 has special significance in the culture of religious sects such as the Kadiri and the Mevlevi dervishes. The 28-beat metric pattern often used in the music compositions accompanying the main part of the Mevlevi sema ritual is called the "Devri kebir", meaning the "Big Circle" and is a reference to above astronomical facts about the year and the Saturn year.
- In Québec, François Pérusse, in one of his best-selling Album du peuple made a parody of Wheel of fortune in which all of the letters picked by the contestant were present 28 times. As a result, 28 became an almost Mythical number used by many Québec youths, the phrase "Y'en a 28" (There are 28 [Letters]) became a running gag still used and recognized more than 15 years later.
- The Preludes, Opus 28 consists of Frédéric Chopin's 24 preludes for piano, ordinarily but not necessarily played together in concert.
Historical years
28 A.D., 28 B.C., 1928, 2028, etc.
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