1489
1489 is the year the plus and minus signs first appeared in print.
- Odd
- Prime
Where 1489 fits
Why 1489 is special
Johannes Widmann used them in a German arithmetic book, initially to mark surplus and deficit in barrels rather than as operators. Notation preceded the meaning it now carries.
1489 is part of
Factors & digit properties
- Divisors (2)
- 1, 1489
- Prime factorisation
- 1489
- Digit sum
- 22
- Digital root
- 4
Representations
- Decimal
- 1489
- Binary
- 10111010001
- Octal
- 2721
- Hexadecimal
- 5d1
- Roman numeral
- MCDLXXXIX
- Scientific notation
- 1.489 × 10^3
Other mathematical patterns
- Deficient number
- Twin prime
Related numbers & connections
The plus and minus signs appear in print in 1489 as warehouse marks for surplus and shortfall; Napier's logarithms of 1614 are among the first works to depend on settled arithmetic notation.
View 1614 →Other connections
- developed from1614
why?
Strength 0.50, confidence "high".
Mathematics
The + and − signs appear in print in 1489 marking excess and shortfall in commercial quantities. Their use as arithmetic operators developed afterwards, so the notation predates the operation.
DocumentedMathematics
Common questions
Is 1489 a prime number?
Yes, 1489 is prime — it has exactly two positive divisors: 1 and itself.
What are the factors of 1489?
The factors of 1489 are 1, 1489.
What is 1489 in Roman numerals?
1489 in Roman numerals is MCDLXXXIX.
About this page's data
Mathematical facts:computed directly from the number's value — nothing to source or verify externally.
Contextual records: 1 reviewer-confirmed record, sourced and reviewed before publication.
Last reviewed: 3 August 2026