1879
1879 is the year Edison demonstrated a practical incandescent lamp.
- Odd
- Prime
Where 1879 fits
Why 1879 is special
He did not invent the light bulb; roughly twenty earlier versions existed. His contribution was a filament and vacuum that lasted long enough to sell, plus the generating and distribution system to make it useful.
1879 is part of
Factors & digit properties
- Divisors (2)
- 1, 1879
- Prime factorisation
- 1879
- Digit sum
- 25
- Digital root
- 7
Representations
- Decimal
- 1879
- Binary
- 11101010111
- Octal
- 3527
- Hexadecimal
- 757
- Roman numeral
- MDCCCLXXIX
- Scientific notation
- 1.879 × 10^3
Other mathematical patterns
- Deficient number
- Lucky number (mathematical sieve)
- Twin prime
Related numbers & connections
The phonograph in 1877 and a workable incandescent lamp in 1879, both from Edison's laboratory. He misjudged the market for the first and did not invent the second.
View 1877 →Edison demonstrated a practical lamp in 1879 and patented it in 1880; Swan had demonstrated one in Britain earlier. The dispute ended in a merger rather than a judgement.
View 1880 →Technology & computing
Incandescent lamps existed before 1879. What Edison produced was a lamp that lasted, and — more importantly — the power stations, meters and wiring to supply it. Selling electricity rather than lamps is the actual innovation.
DocumentedTechnology & computingPeriod: 1879
Common questions
Is 1879 a prime number?
Yes, 1879 is prime — it has exactly two positive divisors: 1 and itself.
What are the factors of 1879?
The factors of 1879 are 1, 1879.
What is 1879 in Roman numerals?
1879 in Roman numerals is MDCCCLXXIX.
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