846
BWV 846 opens the Well-Tempered Clavier.
- Even
- Composite
Where 846 fits
Why 846 is special
Gounod later added a melody over its prelude to make the Ave Maria, which is one work built directly on top of another.
Factors & digit properties
- Divisors (12)
- 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 18, 47, 94, 141, 282, 423, 846
- Prime factorisation
- 2 × 3^2 × 47
- Digit sum
- 18
- Digital root
- 9
Representations
- Decimal
- 846
- Scientific notation
- 8.460 × 10^2
Roman numerals
D C C C X L V I
DCCCXLVI uses the subtractive pair XL: ten before fifty — fifty minus ten.
Binary
1 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 0
1 × 512 + 1 × 256 + 0 × 128 + 1 × 64 + 0 × 32 + 0 × 16 + 1 × 8 + 1 × 4 + 1 × 2 + 0 × 1 = 846
Octal
1 5 1 6
1 × 512 + 5 × 64 + 1 × 8 + 6 × 1 = 846
Hexadecimal
3 4 e
3 × 256 + 4 × 16 + e × 1 = 846
Read as powers of two: 512 + 256 + 64 + 8 + 4 + 2 = 846.
In historical numeral systems
Egyptian
8 coils of rope, 4 hobbles, 6 strokes
8 × 100 + 4 × 10 + 6 × 1 = 846. The signs are simply repeated and added; where they sit on the line is a matter of layout, not value.
Babylonian
1 corner wedge + 4 vertical wedges (sixties place), 6 vertical wedges (units place)
14 × 60 + 6 = 846. Places are separated by a space on the tablet, with the higher place written first.
Greek (Ionic)
omega, then mu, then stigma, marked as a numeral
omega-mu-stigma + keraia
omega + mu + stigma written in descending order and added — the letters carry their values wherever they stand, so this is addition, not place value.
Hebrew numerals
tav, then tav, then mem, then vav
tav-tav-mem-vav
tav (400) + tav (400) + mem (40) + vav (6) = 846, written in descending order.
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
- Harshad (Niven) number
Related numbers & connections
The first two preludes and fugues of a collection that works through all twenty-four keys.
View 847 →Both are Bach movements better known through later arrangements than in their original form.
View 1068 →Media & popular culture
BWV 846 is the Prelude and Fugue in C major opening the first book of the Well-Tempered Clavier. Charles Gounod superimposed a melody on the prelude in 1853 to produce his Ave Maria.
DocumentedMedia & popular cultureGeography: GermanyPeriod: 1722
Common questions
Is 846 a prime number?
No, 846 is not prime.
What are the factors of 846?
The factors of 846 are 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 18, 47, 94, 141, 282, 423, 846.
What is 846 in Roman numerals?
846 in Roman numerals is DCCCXLVI. XL is subtractive: ten before fifty — fifty minus ten. Written additively it would be DCCCXXXXVI, 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: 1 reviewer-confirmed record, sourced and reviewed before publication.
Last reviewed: 15 July 2026