1731
1731 is the year the first circulating library opened in Britain.
- Odd
- Composite
Where 1731 fits
Why 1731 is special
Books were expensive enough that lending was a business. Subscription libraries spread reading well beyond those who could afford to buy.
Same number, different meanings
How 1731 is understood across different contexts — never implying one meaning because of another.
- Mathematics
Books were expensive enough that lending was a business. Subscription libraries spread reading well beyond those who could afford to buy.
- History
In 1731, the Library Company of Philadelphia was founded by Benjamin Franklin, an early subscription library (North America).
- Culture
Circulating libraries from 1731 rented books by subscription, which put reading within reach of people who could not buy at all. Publishers initially treated them as a threat to sales.
1731 is part of
Factors & digit properties
- Divisors (4)
- 1, 3, 577, 1731
- Prime factorisation
- 3 × 577
- Digit sum
- 12
- Digital root
- 3
Representations
- Decimal
- 1731
- Scientific notation
- 1.731 × 10^3
Roman numerals
M D C C X X X I
Binary
1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1
1 × 1,024 + 1 × 512 + 0 × 256 + 1 × 128 + 1 × 64 + 0 × 32 + 0 × 16 + 0 × 8 + 0 × 4 + 1 × 2 + 1 × 1 = 1,731
Octal
3 3 0 3
3 × 512 + 3 × 64 + 0 × 8 + 3 × 1 = 1,731
Hexadecimal
6 c 3
6 × 256 + c × 16 + 3 × 1 = 1,731
Read as powers of two: 1,024 + 512 + 128 + 64 + 2 + 1 = 1,731.
In historical numeral systems
Egyptian
1 lotus, 7 coils of rope, 3 hobbles, 1 stroke
1 × 1,000 + 7 × 100 + 3 × 10 + 1 × 1 = 1,731. The signs are simply repeated and added; where they sit on the line is a matter of layout, not value.
Babylonian
2 corner wedges + 8 vertical wedges (sixties place), 5 corner wedges + 1 vertical wedge (units place)
28 × 60 + 51 = 1731. 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
- Lucky number (mathematical sieve)
Related numbers & connections
1731 is a year in the 18th century, in the 1730s.
Circulating libraries from 1731 put reading within reach of people who could not buy books; the British Museum in 1753 was the first national museum free to the public.
View 1753 →Numbers Around Us
- appears inHistorical years
why?
Strength 0.50, confidence "high".
Other connections
- developed from1753
why?
Strength 0.50, confidence "high".
History
In 1731, the Library Company of Philadelphia was founded by Benjamin Franklin, an early subscription library (North America).
DocumentedHistoryGeography: North AmericaPeriod: 1731
Culture
Circulating libraries from 1731 rented books by subscription, which put reading within reach of people who could not buy at all. Publishers initially treated them as a threat to sales.
DocumentedCultureGeography: BritainPeriod: 1731
Common questions
Is 1731 a prime number?
No, 1731 is not prime.
What are the factors of 1731?
The factors of 1731 are 1, 3, 577, 1731.
What is 1731 in Roman numerals?
1731 in Roman numerals is MDCCXXXI.
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