Numbers·6
6
VI
110

The number 6 — factors and divisors

Perfect

6 = 2 × 3. It has 4 divisors, adding up to 12.

Its divisors, itself excluded, add up to exactly the number.

Families it belongs to

Triangular

The running total of 1, 2, 3 … — the dots stack into a triangle.

Perfect

Add up its divisors except itself and you get the number back.

Laid out as dots

It fits as 2 × 3. The more divisors, the closer to a square.

Prime factors
2 × 3
Divisors
1, 2, 3, 6
Sum of divisors
12
Sum without itself
6
Coprime below it
2
Digit sum
6
Digital root
6
Roman numeral
VI
Binary
110
Octal
6
Hexadecimal
6
Base 36
6
Bits
3 bits
Collatz steps
8 steps · peaks at 16
Prime before
5
Prime after
7

The grid

Ten per row, twenty rows. The filled cells are primes — you can see the multiples of 2 and 5 drop out in columns.

Numbers either side

How to read this

  • The prime factors are what the number is made of. The count and sum of divisors both follow from them.
  • Add the divisors, take the number away, and you get perfect, abundant or deficient.
  • The length of the binary form is the bit count. 255 taking eight digits is what a byte is.
  • Collatz: halve it if even, triple it and add one if odd. The count is how many moves reach 1.

Frequently asked questions

Q. Is 6 a prime number?

No. It breaks down into 2 × 3.

Q. What are the divisors of 6?

1, 2, 3, 6 — 4 divisors in all, adding up to 12.

Q. How is 6 written in binary?

110, which is 3 bits. In hexadecimal it is 6.

Q. How many Collatz steps does 6 take?

It reaches 1 in 8, peaking at 16 on the way.