1617
1617 is the year Napier published his work on calculating rods.
- Odd
- Composite
Where 1617 fits
Why 1617 is special
Napier's bones mechanised multiplication for people who could not do it mentally. The principle later appeared in mechanical calculators and eventually in the slide rule's logarithmic scales.
1617 is part of
Factors & digit properties
- Divisors (12)
- 1, 3, 7, 11, 21, 33, 49, 77, 147, 231, 539, 1617
- Prime factorisation
- 3 × 7^2 × 11
- Digit sum
- 15
- Digital root
- 6
Representations
- Decimal
- 1617
- Scientific notation
- 1.617 × 10^3
Roman numerals
M D C X V I I
Binary
1 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1
1 × 1,024 + 1 × 512 + 0 × 256 + 0 × 128 + 1 × 64 + 0 × 32 + 1 × 16 + 0 × 8 + 0 × 4 + 0 × 2 + 1 × 1 = 1,617
Octal
3 1 2 1
3 × 512 + 1 × 64 + 2 × 8 + 1 × 1 = 1,617
Hexadecimal
6 5 1
6 × 256 + 5 × 16 + 1 × 1 = 1,617
Read as powers of two: 1,024 + 512 + 64 + 16 + 1 = 1,617.
In historical numeral systems
Egyptian
1 lotus, 6 coils of rope, 1 hobble, 7 strokes
1 × 1,000 + 6 × 100 + 1 × 10 + 7 × 1 = 1,617. The signs are simply repeated and added; where they sit on the line is a matter of layout, not value.
Babylonian
2 corner wedges + 6 vertical wedges (sixties place), 5 corner wedges + 7 vertical wedges (units place)
26 × 60 + 57 = 1617. 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
- Pentagonal number
Related numbers & connections
1617 is a year in the 17th century, in the 1610s.
Napier's rods mechanised multiplication by hand in 1617; Leibniz's stepped drum of 1671 mechanised it in a machine, and that mechanism was still in calculators three centuries later.
View 1671 →Technology & computing
In 1617, John Napier described the calculating rods known as Napier's bones, a practical aid to multiplication (Scotland).
DocumentedTechnology & computingGeography: ScotlandPeriod: 1617Napier's rods let a user multiply by arranging numbered strips and reading off partial products. It is an early example of moving arithmetic from the head into a physical device.
DocumentedTechnology & computingGeography: ScotlandPeriod: 1617
Common questions
Is 1617 a prime number?
No, 1617 is not prime.
What are the factors of 1617?
The factors of 1617 are 1, 3, 7, 11, 21, 33, 49, 77, 147, 231, 539, 1617.
What is 1617 in Roman numerals?
1617 in Roman numerals is MDCXVII.
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