1982
1982 is the year the compact disc went on sale.
- Even
- Composite
Where 1982 fits
Why 1982 is special
Digital audio on a disc read by laser replaced a century of physical groove-tracking. The first title released commercially was a Billy Joel album in Japan, and CDs outsold vinyl within six years.
1982 is part of
Factors & digit properties
- Divisors (4)
- 1, 2, 991, 1982
- Prime factorisation
- 2 × 991
- Digit sum
- 20
- Digital root
- 2
Representations
- Decimal
- 1982
- Scientific notation
- 1.982 × 10^3
Roman numerals
M C M L X X X I I
MCMLXXXII uses the subtractive pair CM: a hundred before a thousand — a thousand minus a hundred.
Binary
1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 0
1 × 1,024 + 1 × 512 + 1 × 256 + 1 × 128 + 0 × 64 + 1 × 32 + 1 × 16 + 1 × 8 + 1 × 4 + 1 × 2 + 0 × 1 = 1,982
Octal
3 6 7 6
3 × 512 + 6 × 64 + 7 × 8 + 6 × 1 = 1,982
Hexadecimal
7 b e
7 × 256 + b × 16 + e × 1 = 1,982
Read as powers of two: 1,024 + 512 + 256 + 128 + 32 + 16 + 8 + 4 + 2 = 1,982.
In historical numeral systems
Egyptian
1 lotus, 9 coils of rope, 8 hobbles, 2 strokes
1 × 1,000 + 9 × 100 + 8 × 10 + 2 × 1 = 1,982. The signs are simply repeated and added; where they sit on the line is a matter of layout, not value.
Babylonian
3 corner wedges + 3 vertical wedges (sixties place), 2 vertical wedges (units place)
33 × 60 + 2 = 1982. 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
Related numbers & connections
1982 is a year in the 20th century, in the 1980s.
Edison's phonograph of 1877 recorded sound by physical contact and the compact disc of 1982 replaced contact with a laser, ending a century of playback that degraded the recording.
View 1877 →Technology & computing
In 1982, the compact disc was launched commercially.
DocumentedTechnology & computingGeography: globalPeriod: 1982The CD replaced physical contact between a stylus and a groove with a laser reading pits, which meant playback stopped degrading the recording. Vinyl's later revival is about preference rather than about that technical problem being solved differently.
DocumentedTechnology & computingPeriod: 1982
Common questions
Is 1982 a prime number?
No, 1982 is not prime.
What are the factors of 1982?
The factors of 1982 are 1, 2, 991, 1982.
What is 1982 in Roman numerals?
1982 in Roman numerals is MCMLXXXII. CM is subtractive: a hundred before a thousand — a thousand minus a hundred. Written additively it would be MDCCCCLXXXII, 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