1538
Iron melts at about 1,538 degrees Celsius.
- Even
- Composite
Where 1538 fits
Why 1538 is special
Smelting iron requires reaching that temperature, which is why the Iron Age began millennia after the Bronze Age despite iron ore being far more common than tin. Availability of the material was never the constraint; the furnace was.
Factors & digit properties
- Divisors (4)
- 1, 2, 769, 1538
- Prime factorisation
- 2 × 769
- Digit sum
- 17
- Digital root
- 8
Representations
- Decimal
- 1538
- Binary
- 11000000010
- Octal
- 3002
- Hexadecimal
- 602
- Roman numeral
- MDXXXVIII
- Scientific notation
- 1.538 × 10^3
Other mathematical patterns
- Deficient number
- Semiprime
Related numbers & connections
Iron melts at 1,538 degrees and boils at 2,862. That 1,300-degree working range is what makes casting possible: molten iron can be poured without evaporating.
View 2862 →Science
Iron is far more abundant than the tin bronze requires, and the Iron Age still came later. The reason is 1,538 degrees: bronze melts around 950, and reaching iron's melting point needed furnace technology that took centuries to develop.
DocumentedScience
Common questions
Is 1538 a prime number?
No, 1538 is not prime.
What are the factors of 1538?
The factors of 1538 are 1, 2, 769, 1538.
What is 1538 in Roman numerals?
1538 in Roman numerals is MDXXXVIII.
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