1138
THX 1138 is George Lucas's first film, and the number appears hidden in almost everything he made since.
- Even
- Composite
Where 1138 fits
Why 1138 is special
It is on a droid in Star Wars, a cell block in the same film, a licence plate in American Graffiti and a racing car in The Phantom Menace. The practice of hiding a signature number in later work spread widely from this example.
Same number, different meanings
How 1138 is understood across different contexts — never implying one meaning because of another.
- Mathematics
It is on a droid in Star Wars, a cell block in the same film, a licence plate in American Graffiti and a racing car in The Phantom Menace. The practice of hiding a signature number in later work spread widely from this example.
- History
In 1138, an earthquake devastated Aleppo, among the deadliest recorded (Syria).
- Media & popular culture
1138 recurs across Lucas's films as a deliberate reference to his own first feature — a cell block, a droid, a licence plate. It is one of the earliest and most-copied examples of a filmmaker signing later work with a number from an earlier one.
1138 is part of
Factors & digit properties
- Divisors (4)
- 1, 2, 569, 1138
- Prime factorisation
- 2 × 569
- Digit sum
- 13
- Digital root
- 4
Representations
- Decimal
- 1138
- Scientific notation
- 1.138 × 10^3
Roman numerals
M C X X X V I I I
Binary
1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0
1 × 1,024 + 0 × 512 + 0 × 256 + 0 × 128 + 1 × 64 + 1 × 32 + 1 × 16 + 0 × 8 + 0 × 4 + 1 × 2 + 0 × 1 = 1,138
Octal
2 1 6 2
2 × 512 + 1 × 64 + 6 × 8 + 2 × 1 = 1,138
Hexadecimal
4 7 2
4 × 256 + 7 × 16 + 2 × 1 = 1,138
Read as powers of two: 1,024 + 64 + 32 + 16 + 2 = 1,138.
In historical numeral systems
Egyptian
1 lotus, 1 coil of rope, 3 hobbles, 8 strokes
1 × 1,000 + 1 × 100 + 3 × 10 + 8 × 1 = 1,138. The signs are simply repeated and added; where they sit on the line is a matter of layout, not value.
Babylonian
1 corner wedge + 8 vertical wedges (sixties place), 5 corner wedges + 8 vertical wedges (units place)
18 × 60 + 58 = 1138. Places are separated by a space on the tablet, with the higher place written first.
Systems that simply cannot reach this value are left out. Where a script needs a font most readers do not have, the reading is given instead of the glyphs — see number systems for each system in full.
Other mathematical patterns
- Deficient number
- Semiprime
Related numbers & connections
1138 is a year in the 12th century, in the 1130s.
Two numbers that entered culture through a single work: a phone number from a 1981 song, and a filmmaker's first feature title hidden in everything he made afterwards.
View 8675309 →Numbers Around Us
- appears inHistorical years
why?
Strength 0.50, confidence "high".
Other connections
- is associated with8675309
why?
Strength 0.50, confidence "high".
History
In 1138, an earthquake devastated Aleppo, among the deadliest recorded (Syria).
DocumentedHistoryGeography: SyriaPeriod: 1138
Media & popular culture
1138 recurs across Lucas's films as a deliberate reference to his own first feature — a cell block, a droid, a licence plate. It is one of the earliest and most-copied examples of a filmmaker signing later work with a number from an earlier one.
DocumentedMedia & popular cultureCulture: American cinema
Common questions
Is 1138 a prime number?
No, 1138 is not prime.
What are the factors of 1138?
The factors of 1138 are 1, 2, 569, 1138.
What is 1138 in Roman numerals?
1138 in Roman numerals is MCXXXVIII.
About this page's data
Mathematical facts:computed directly from the number's value — nothing to source or verify externally.
Contextual records: 2 reviewer-confirmed records, sourced and reviewed before publication.
Last reviewed: 15 July 2026