4
Number
$4$ (four) is:
- $2^2$
- The only number which equals the number of letters in its name (four) when written in the English language
- The only composite number $n$ such that $n \nmid \paren {n - 1}!$
- The only number $n$ such that the alternating group $A_n$ is not simple.
$1$st Term
- The $1$st semiprime:
- $4 = 2 \times 2$
- The $1$st power of $4$ after the zeroth $1$:
- $4 = 4^1$
- The $1$st Fermat pseudoprime to base $5$:
- $5^4 \equiv 5 \pmod 4$
- The $1$st $n$ such that $n! + 1$ is square: see Brocard's Problem
- The $1$st positive integer $n$ such that $n - 2^k$ is prime for all $k$.
- The $1$st (with $121$) of the $2$ square numbers which are $4$ less than a cube:
- $4 = 2^2 = 2^3 - 4$
- The $1$st in the sequence formed by adding the squares of the first $n$ primes:
- $\ds 4 = \sum_{i \mathop = 1}^1 {p_i}^2 = 2^2$
- The $1$st Smith number:
- $4 = 2 + 2$
- The smallest positive integer which can be expressed as the sum of $2$ distinct lucky numbers in $1$ different way:
- $4 = 1 + 3$
$2$nd Term
- The $2$nd square number:
- $4 = 2 \times 2 = 2^2 = 1 + 3$
- The first square of a prime number:
- $4 = 2^2$
- The $2$nd square number after $1$ to be the divisor sum value of some (strictly) positive integer:
- $4 = \map {\sigma_1} 3$
- The $2$nd tetrahedral number after $1$:
- $4 = 1 + 3 = \dfrac {2 \paren {2 + 1} \paren {2 + 2} } 6$
- The $2$nd after $1$ of the $3$ tetrahedral numbers which are also square
- The $2$nd trimorphic number after $1$:
- $4^3 = 6 \mathbf 4$
- The $2$nd power of $2$ after $(1)$, $2$:
- $4 = 2^2$
- The $2$nd powerful number after $1$
- The $2$nd integer $m$ after $3$ such that $m! - 1$ (its factorial minus $1$) is prime:
- $4! - 1 = 24 - 1 = 23$
- The $2$nd integer $n$ after $3$ such that $\ds m = \sum_{k \mathop = 0}^{n - 1} \paren {-1}^k \paren {n - k}! = n! - \paren {n - 1}! + \paren {n - 2}! - \paren {n - 3}! + \cdots \pm 1$ is prime:
- $4! - 3! + 2! - 1! = 17$
- The $2$nd even number after $2$ which cannot be expressed as the sum of $2$ composite odd numbers.
- The $2$nd square after $1$ which has no more than $2$ distinct digits and does not end in $0$:
- $4 = 2^2$
- The $2$nd even integer after $2$ that cannot be expressed as the sum of $2$ prime numbers which are each one of a pair of twin primes.
- The $2$nd of $35$ integers less than $91$ to which $91$ itself is a Fermat pseudoprime:
- $3$, $4$, $\ldots$
- The number of different binary operations with an identity element that can be applied to a set with $2$ elements
- The total number of permutations of $r$ objects from a set of $2$ objects, where $1 \le r \le 2$
$3$rd Term
- The $3$rd Lucas number after $(2)$, $1$, $3$:
- $4 = 1 + 3$
- The $3$rd highly composite number after $1$, $2$:
- $\map {\sigma_0} 4 = 3$
- The $3$rd superabundant number after $1$, $2$:
- $\dfrac {\map {\sigma_1} 4} 4 = \dfrac 7 4 = 1 \cdotp 75$
- The $3$rd almost perfect number after $1$, $2$:
- $\map {\sigma_1} 4 = 7 = 8 - 1$
- The $3$rd after $1$, $2$ of the $24$ positive integers which cannot be expressed as the sum of distinct non-pythagorean primes.
- The $3$rd of the $5$ known powers of $2$ whose digits are also all powers of $2$:
- $1$, $2$, $4$, $\ldots$
- The $3$rd positive integer after $2$, $3$ which cannot be expressed as the sum of distinct pentagonal numbers
$4$th Term
- The $4$th Ulam number after $1$, $2$, $3$:
- $4 = 1 + 3$
- The $4$th highly abundant number after $1$, $2$, $3$:
- $\map {\sigma_1} 4 = 7$
- The $4$th (strictly) positive integer after $1$, $2$, $3$ which cannot be expressed as the sum of exactly $5$ non-zero squares.
- The $4$th integer after $0$, $1$, $2$ which is palindromic in both decimal and ternary:
- $4_{10} = 11_3$
- The $4$th of the trivial $1$-digit pluperfect digital invariants after $1$, $2$, $3$:
- $4^1 = 4$
- The $4$th positive integer after $1$, $2$, $3$ such that all smaller positive integers coprime to it are prime
- The $4$th of the (trivial $1$-digit) Zuckerman numbers after $1$, $2$, $3$:
- $4 = 1 \times 4$
- The $4$th of the (trivial $1$-digit) harshad numbers after $1$, $2$, $3$:
- $4 = 1 \times 4$
- The $4$th (strictly) positive integer after $1$, $2$, $3$ which cannot be expressed as the sum of distinct primes of the form $6 n - 1$
- The $4$th after $1$, $2$, $3$ of $21$ integers which can be represented as the sum of two primes in the maximum number of ways
$5$th Term
- The $5$th integer $n$ after $0$, $1$, $2$, $3$ such that $2^n$ contains no zero in its decimal representation:
- $2^4 = 16$
- The $5$th integer $n$ after $0$, $1$, $2$, $3$ such that $5^n$ contains no zero in its decimal representation:
- $5^4 = 625$
- The $5$th integer $n$ after $0$, $1$, $2$, $3$ such that both $2^n$ and $5^n$ have no zeroes:
- $2^4 = 16$, $5^4 = 625$
- The $5$th number after $0$, $1$, $2$, $3$ which is (trivially) the sum of the increasing powers of its digits taken in order:
- $4^1 = 4$
Miscellaneous
- The number of faces and vertices of a tetrahedron
- The number of faces which meet at each vertex of a regular octahedron
- The number of dimensions in Einstein's space-time
- There exist exactly $4$ Kepler-Poinsot polyhedra
- Every positive integer can be expressed as the sum of at most $4$ squares.
Arithmetic Functions on $4$
\(\ds \map {\sigma_0} { 4 }\) | \(=\) | \(\ds 3\) | $\sigma_0$ of $4$ | |||||||||||
\(\ds \map \phi { 4 }\) | \(=\) | \(\ds 2\) | $\phi$ of $4$ | |||||||||||
\(\ds \map {\sigma_1} { 4 }\) | \(=\) | \(\ds 7\) | $\sigma_1$ of $4$ |
Also see
- Hyperbola can be Drawn through Four Non-Collinear Points
- Plane Figure with Bilateral Symmetry about Two Lines has 4 Congruent Parts
- Lagrange's Four Square Theorem, also represented as Hilbert-Waring Theorem for $2$nd Powers
- Ferrari's Method
- Four Color Theorem
- Squares which are 4 Less than Cubes
- Four Kepler-Poinsot Polyhedra
- Brocard's Problem
- Divisibility of n-1 Factorial by Composite n
- Alternating Group is Simple except on 4 Letters
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Historical Note
The number $4$, as was $8$, was associated by the Pythagoreans with the concept of justice, being evenly balanced: $4 = 2 + 2$, where $2$ is the principle of diversity.
Throughout history, the number $4$ has been regarded with particular significance.
There were originally believed to be $4$ elements out of which everything was formed:
There are $4$ humours:
- Sanguine, Melacholic, Choleric and Phlegmatic.
There are $4$ cardinal points of the compass:
- North, East, South and West.
There are $4$ seasons of the year:
- Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.
In the Old Testament, there were $4$ rivers which watered the Garden of Eden:
- Pishon, Gihon, the Tigris, and the Euphrates.
In Islam, these rivers are:
- Saihan (Syr Darya), Jaihan (Amu Darya), Furat (Euphrates) and Nil (Nile).
In the New Testament, there are $4$ Gospels:
- Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
The most aesthetically pleasing musical intervals are those whose frequencies are associated with the ratio of $1 : 4$.
Linguistic Note
Words derived from or associated with the number $4$ include:
- quadruped: an animal with $4$ feet
Sources
- 1986: David Wells: Curious and Interesting Numbers ... (previous) ... (next): $4$
- 1997: David Wells: Curious and Interesting Numbers (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): $4$
- Trimorphic Numbers/Examples
- Powerful Numbers/Examples
- Square Numbers/Examples
- Tetrahedral Numbers/Examples
- Count of All Permutations on n Objects/Examples
- Powers of 4/Examples
- Count of Binary Operations with Identity/Examples
- Superabundant Numbers/Examples
- Highly Composite Numbers/Examples
- Almost Perfect Numbers/Examples
- Powers of 2/Examples
- Pluperfect Digital Invariants/Examples
- Zuckerman Numbers/Examples
- Harshad Numbers/Examples
- Ulam Numbers/Examples
- Highly Abundant Numbers/Examples
- Integers not Expressible as Sum of Distinct Primes of form 6n-1/Examples
- Lucas Numbers/Examples
- Semiprimes/Examples
- Smith Numbers/Examples
- Fermat Pseudoprimes/Examples
- Specific Numbers
- 4