256 (number)

256 (two hundred ndfifty-six) is the natural number following 255 and preceding 257.

In mathematics

256 is a composite number, with the factorization 256 = 2⁸, which makes it a power of two.
* 256 is 4 raised to the 4th power, so in tetration notation, 256 is ²4.
* 256 is a perfect square (16²).
* 256 is the only 3-digit number that is zenzizenzizenzic. It is 2 to the 8th power or $((2^2)^2)^2$.
* 256 is the lowest number that is a product of eight prime factors.
* 256 is the number of parts in all compositions of 7.

In computing

One octet (in most cases one byte) is equal to eight bits and has 2⁸ or 256 possible values, counting from 0 to 255. The number 256 often appears in computer applications (especially on 8-bit systems) such as:
* The typical number of different values in each color channel of a digital color image (256 values for red, 256 values for green, and 256 values for blue used for 24-bit color) (see color space or Web colors).
* The number of colors available in a GIF or a 256-color (8-bit) bitmap.
* The number of characters in extended ASCII and Latin-1.
* The number of columns available in a Microsoft Excel worksheet until Excel 2007.
* The high-definition gaming console utilizes 256-bit CPU/GPU starting Xbox 360 before the introduction of the current gaming consoles in 2010's and 2020's especially Nintendo Switch.
* The split-screen level in Pac-Man, which results from the use of a single byte to store the internal level counter.
* A 256-bit integer can represent up to 115,792,089,237,316,195,423,570,985,008,687,907,853,269,984,665,640,564,039,457,584,007,913,129,639,936 values.
* The number of bits in the SHA-256 cryptographic hash.
* The branding number of nVidia's GeForce 256.

In other fields

256 is also:
* The number of characters in the 8-dot Braille system.
* An area code in Alabama.
* The Country calling code for Uganda.
* The frequency of Middle C in hertz under scientific pitch.
* The number of the Amarna letter EA 256, which, according to David Rohl, was written by Ishbaal and contains mentions of King David, Jesse, and Joab.
* The number of captured Viet Cong in the song "Three-Five-Zero-Zero" of the musical Hair.
* The number of soldiers in the most basic unit (the syntagma) of the Macedonian army.
* The number used by short track speed skating Olympian Apolo Ohno.
* The number of players online in Domination mode in the game MAG.
* The number of Catch Cards in the video game ''Super Paper Mario'', and referenced numerous other times in said game.
* The number of dots to collect in "PAC-MAN 256".
* The number value in Hebrew Gematria of the word רָנּוּ (ranu) (meaning "they sang"), which appears in Jeremiah 31:6, "Sing with gladness for Jacob," and was associated with a prophecy of the return of the Messiah in the Hebrew year 4856 (1095–1096), which was close to the 256th lunar cycle (each cycle lasting 19 years), when the Jews were persecuted during the First Crusade.
* The number of Odùs in the ''Ifá'' Corpus.
*.256 Winchester Magnum, a short-lived firearm cartridge.
* The number of pixels on one side of a Minecraft block.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:256 (Number)
Integers