252

252 is a natural number that lies between 251 and 253. It is an even, composite number with several notable properties in mathematics and everyday use.

Its prime factorization is 252 = 2^2 × 3^2 × 7. The number has 18 divisors in total, and the sum of all divisors is 728, which means the sum of proper divisors is 476. Since this exceeds 252, the number is abundant. It is also a Harshad (Niven) number in base 10 because the sum of its digits is 2 + 5 + 2 = 9, and 252 is divisible by 9 (252 ÷ 9 = 28).

In different numeral systems, 252 is represented as follows: binary 11111100, octal 374, hexadecimal FC, and Roman numerals CCLII.

In practical contexts, 252 is often cited as the approximate number of trading days in a calendar year in financial markets. The North American area code 252 covers parts of eastern North Carolina. In science, Californium-252 is a radioactive isotope used as a neutron source because of its spontaneous fission, with a half-life of about 2.65 years.