187
187 is best known in the US as the number of the California Penal Code section that defines murder — a legal reference that spread into slang and hip-hop/media culture as a synonym for killing.
- Odd
- Composite
Where 187 fits
Why 187 is special
187's real-world meaning comes almost entirely from law: California Penal Code §187 defines murder, and that specific section number spread — first through California street and gang slang, then nationally and internationally via hip-hop music and film — into shorthand for killing, well beyond its original legal jurisdiction.
Same number, different meanings
How 187 is understood across different contexts — never implying one meaning because of another.
- Mathematics
187's real-world meaning comes almost entirely from law: California Penal Code §187 defines murder, and that specific section number spread — first through California street and gang slang, then nationally and internationally via hip-hop music and film — into shorthand for killing, well beyond its original legal jurisdiction.
- Everyday life
Beyond its legal meaning, '187' spread as street and gang slang for murder, originating in California in proximity to the Penal Code section itself, then documented spreading to other US states and internationally. It is slang usage derived from a real legal code, not itself an official legal term outside California.
- Law & regulation
California Penal Code §187 is the statute defining murder under California law: 'the unlawful killing of a human being, or a fetus, with malice aforethought.' It is specific to California; other US states and countries define and number their equivalent murder statutes differently.
- Media & popular culture
'187' entered wider popular culture primarily through hip-hop music (notably Dr. Dre's 'Deep Cover') and was subsequently used in film and television, including the 1997 crime thriller 'One Eight Seven' and the series 'Detroit 1-8-7' — each referencing the slang meaning derived from the California legal code.
- Symbolic meaning
Separately from its legal and slang meanings, modern numerology treats 187 as combining the meanings of 1 (new beginnings), 8 (achievement) and 7 (spiritual growth). This is a belief-system interpretation, entirely unrelated to the number's legal or slang associations, and not an empirical claim.
187 is part of
Factors & digit properties
- Divisors (4)
- 1, 11, 17, 187
- Prime factorisation
- 11 × 17
- Digit sum
- 16
- Digital root
- 7
Representations
- Decimal
- 187
- Scientific notation
- 1.870 × 10^2
Roman numerals
C L X X X V I I
Binary
1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1
1 × 128 + 0 × 64 + 1 × 32 + 1 × 16 + 1 × 8 + 0 × 4 + 1 × 2 + 1 × 1 = 187
Octal
2 7 3
2 × 64 + 7 × 8 + 3 × 1 = 187
Hexadecimal
b b
b × 16 + b × 1 = 187
Read as powers of two: 128 + 32 + 16 + 8 + 2 + 1 = 187.
In historical numeral systems
Egyptian
1 coil of rope, 8 hobbles, 7 strokes
1 × 100 + 8 × 10 + 7 × 1 = 187. The signs are simply repeated and added; where they sit on the line is a matter of layout, not value.
Babylonian
3 vertical wedges (sixties place), 7 vertical wedges (units place)
3 × 60 + 7 = 187. Places are separated by a space on the tablet, with the higher place written first.
Greek (Ionic)
rho, then pi, then zeta, marked as a numeral
rho-pi-zeta + keraia
rho + pi + zeta written in descending order and added — the letters carry their values wherever they stand, so this is addition, not place value.
Hebrew numerals
qof, then pe, then zayin
qof-pe-zayin
qof (100) + pe (80) + zayin (7) = 187, written in descending order.
Maya
1 bar + 4 dots (upper, twenties place) over 1 bar + 2 dots (lower, units place)
9 × 20 + 7 = 187. Places stack vertically with the smallest at the bottom, so the upper group is worth twenty times the lower.
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
Related numbers & connections
17 is a factor of 187 (17 × 11 = 187).
View 17 →Two California statute numbers that entered general American slang — an involuntary psychiatric hold and a homicide offence — both widely recognised and widely misunderstood.
View 5150 →Everyday life
Beyond its legal meaning, '187' spread as street and gang slang for murder, originating in California in proximity to the Penal Code section itself, then documented spreading to other US states and internationally. It is slang usage derived from a real legal code, not itself an official legal term outside California.
Regionally documentedEveryday lifeGeography: Originating in California, United States; documented elsewhere by usage
Law & regulation
California Penal Code §187 is the statute defining murder under California law: 'the unlawful killing of a human being, or a fetus, with malice aforethought.' It is specific to California; other US states and countries define and number their equivalent murder statutes differently.
DocumentedLaw & regulationGeography: California, United States
Media & popular culture
'187' entered wider popular culture primarily through hip-hop music (notably Dr. Dre's 'Deep Cover') and was subsequently used in film and television, including the 1997 crime thriller 'One Eight Seven' and the series 'Detroit 1-8-7' — each referencing the slang meaning derived from the California legal code.
Widely documentedMedia & popular culture
Symbolic meaning
Separately from its legal and slang meanings, modern numerology treats 187 as combining the meanings of 1 (new beginnings), 8 (achievement) and 7 (spiritual growth). This is a belief-system interpretation, entirely unrelated to the number's legal or slang associations, and not an empirical claim.
Belief / interpretationSymbolic meaningPresented as belief or tradition, not as an established fact.
Common questions
What does 187 mean?
187 is the section of the California Penal Code that defines murder. From there it spread into US street and gang slang as a synonym for killing, and later into hip-hop, film and television — a legal reference, not a national or universal code.
Is 187 an official police code everywhere?
No — it's specifically a California statute number. Other US states and countries define and number their murder laws differently; 187's spread as slang far outran its original legal jurisdiction.
Where does '187' show up in music and film?
Dr. Dre's 'Deep Cover' is the song most credited with popularising it in hip-hop; it later appeared in the 1997 film 'One Eight Seven' and the TV series 'Detroit 1-8-7', among other references.
Is 187 a prime number?
No, 187 is not prime.
What are the factors of 187?
The factors of 187 are 1, 11, 17, 187.
What is 187 in Roman numerals?
187 in Roman numerals is CLXXXVII.
About this page's data
Mathematical facts:computed directly from the number's value — nothing to source or verify externally.
Contextual records: 4 reviewer-confirmed records, sourced and reviewed before publication.
Last reviewed: 15 July 2026