1952
1952 is the year of the Great Smog of London.
- Even
- Composite
Where 1952 fits
Why 1952 is special
Coal smoke trapped by still, cold air killed an estimated four to twelve thousand people over five days. It produced the Clean Air Act of 1956 and is the standard case study for air pollution regulation.
1952 connects to:
- historical years — appears in
- 1858 — contrasts with
Same number, different meanings
How 1952 is understood across different contexts — never implying one meaning because of another.
- Mathematics
Coal smoke trapped by still, cold air killed an estimated four to twelve thousand people over five days. It produced the Clean Air Act of 1956 and is the standard case study for air pollution regulation.
- History
In 1952, the Great Smog of London killed thousands and led directly to the Clean Air Act (England).
- Law & regulation
Coal smoke trapped by cold, still air over London killed an estimated four to twelve thousand people in five days. The Clean Air Act of 1956 followed, and the episode remains the standard case study in air pollution regulation.
1952 is part of
Factors & digit properties
- Divisors (12)
- 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 61, 122, 244, 488, 976, 1952
- Prime factorisation
- 2^5 × 61
- Digit sum
- 17
- Digital root
- 8
Representations
- Decimal
- 1952
- Scientific notation
- 1.952 × 10^3
Roman numerals
M C M L I I
MCMLII uses the subtractive pair CM: a hundred before a thousand — a thousand minus a hundred.
Binary
1 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
1 × 1,024 + 1 × 512 + 1 × 256 + 1 × 128 + 0 × 64 + 1 × 32 + 0 × 16 + 0 × 8 + 0 × 4 + 0 × 2 + 0 × 1 = 1,952
Octal
3 6 4 0
3 × 512 + 6 × 64 + 4 × 8 + 0 × 1 = 1,952
Hexadecimal
7 a 0
7 × 256 + a × 16 + 0 × 1 = 1,952
Read as powers of two: 1,024 + 512 + 256 + 128 + 32 = 1,952.
In historical numeral systems
Egyptian
1 lotus, 9 coils of rope, 5 hobbles, 2 strokes
1 × 1,000 + 9 × 100 + 5 × 10 + 2 × 1 = 1,952. The signs are simply repeated and added; where they sit on the line is a matter of layout, not value.
Babylonian
3 corner wedges + 2 vertical wedges (sixties place), 3 corner wedges + 2 vertical wedges (units place)
32 × 60 + 32 = 1952. 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
- Abundant number
Related numbers & connections
1952 is a year in the 20th century, in the 1950s.
The Great Stink of 1858 produced a sewer system in eighteen days and the Great Smog of 1952 produced a Clean Air Act four years later. Both required the harm to reach legislators.
View 1858 →Numbers Around Us
- appears inHistorical years
why?
Strength 0.50, confidence "high".
Other connections
- contrasts with1858
why?
Strength 0.50, confidence "high".
History
In 1952, the Great Smog of London killed thousands and led directly to the Clean Air Act (England).
DocumentedHistoryGeography: EnglandPeriod: 1952
Law & regulation
Coal smoke trapped by cold, still air over London killed an estimated four to twelve thousand people in five days. The Clean Air Act of 1956 followed, and the episode remains the standard case study in air pollution regulation.
DocumentedLaw & regulationGeography: London, EnglandPeriod: December 1952
Common questions
Is 1952 a prime number?
No, 1952 is not prime.
What are the factors of 1952?
The factors of 1952 are 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 61, 122, 244, 488, 976, 1952.
What is 1952 in Roman numerals?
1952 in Roman numerals is MCMLII. CM is subtractive: a hundred before a thousand — a thousand minus a hundred. Written additively it would be MDCCCCLII, which Roman inscriptions used freely — the strict subtractive form is a later convention.
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