147
147 is the maximum break in snooker: fifteen reds each followed by a black, then all six colours.
- Odd
- Composite
Where 147 fits
Why 147 is special
147 is a number produced entirely by a rulebook. Fifteen reds at one point each, each followed by the black at seven, gives 120; clearing the six colours in order adds 27. The first officially recognised competitive 147 was made by Joe Davis in 1955, and it remains rare enough that individual maximums are still counted and reported.
Same number, different meanings
How 147 is understood across different contexts — never implying one meaning because of another.
- Mathematics
147 is a number produced entirely by a rulebook. Fifteen reds at one point each, each followed by the black at seven, gives 120; clearing the six colours in order adds 27. The first officially recognised competitive 147 was made by Joe Davis in 1955, and it remains rare enough that individual maximums are still counted and reported.
- History
Joe Davis made the first officially recognised competitive maximum in 1955, and for decades a 147 was rare enough that each one was news. They have become more frequent as standards rose, but the governing body still records them individually — a maximum is one of the few sporting achievements tracked as a discrete list rather than a statistic.
- Sport
A 147 break requires fifteen reds each followed by a black, then all six colours. It has been made in professional competition several hundred times since the first recorded instance.
Factors & digit properties
- Divisors (6)
- 1, 3, 7, 21, 49, 147
- Prime factorisation
- 3 × 7^2
- Digit sum
- 12
- Digital root
- 3
Representations
- Decimal
- 147
- Binary
- 10010011
- Octal
- 223
- Hexadecimal
- 93
- Roman numeral
- CXLVII
- Scientific notation
- 1.470 × 10^2
Other mathematical patterns
- Deficient number
Related numbers & connections
Snooker's normal maximum is 147; a free ball after a foul raises the theoretical maximum to 155. No professional has ever made one in competition.
View 155 →Other connections
- contrasts with155
why?
Strength 0.50, confidence "high".
History
Joe Davis made the first officially recognised competitive maximum in 1955, and for decades a 147 was rare enough that each one was news. They have become more frequent as standards rose, but the governing body still records them individually — a maximum is one of the few sporting achievements tracked as a discrete list rather than a statistic.
DocumentedHistoryGeography: professional snookerPeriod: 1955 – present
Sport
A 147 break requires fifteen reds each followed by a black, then all six colours. It has been made in professional competition several hundred times since the first recorded instance.
DocumentedSportGeography: InternationalPeriod: 1955–The 147 is fully determined by the rules: fifteen reds at one point each, each answered by the black at seven, is 15 + 105 = 120, and clearing yellow through black in sequence adds 2+3+4+5+6+7 = 27. Nothing about the number is arbitrary — change the colour values and the maximum changes with them.
DocumentedSport
Common questions
Is 147 a prime number?
No, 147 is not prime.
What are the factors of 147?
The factors of 147 are 1, 3, 7, 21, 49, 147.
What is 147 in Roman numerals?
147 in Roman numerals is CXLVII.
About this page's data
Mathematical facts:computed directly from the number's value — nothing to source or verify externally.
Contextual records: 3 reviewer-confirmed records, sourced and reviewed before publication.
Last reviewed: 3 August 2026