88 is the natural number that follows 87 and precedes 89. As an even number, it ends in the digit 8 and is a two-digit palindromic decimal (the same read forwards and backwards). The simple label "eighty-eight" is the standard English name.
Mathematical properties
In arithmetic, 88 is a composite integer. Its canonical prime factorization is 2^3 × 11, which determines several elementary properties: it is divisible by a set of smaller integers and it is not prime or a perfect power. The proper divisors are listed below.
The sum of its proper divisors (1+2+4+8+11+22+44 = 92) exceeds 88, so 88 is classified as an abundant number. Common positional representations include binary 1011000, octal 130, hexadecimal 58, and Roman numerals LXXXVIII.
Uses, examples and cultural notes
Beyond mathematics, the number 88 appears in several practical and cultural contexts. A standard modern piano keyboard has 88 keys. In chemistry, the atomic number 88 belongs to radium (Ra), a naturally occurring radioactive element historically significant in early 20th-century research. In amateur radio and some internet shorthand, the numeral "88" has been adopted informally as a sign-off conveying friendly sentiments.
As a compact two-digit palindrome and a product of small primes, 88 is useful in examples illustrating divisibility, factorization, and classification of integers (even, composite, abundant). It also appears as a calendar year label (for AD 88, 1888, etc.) and as a motif in design and symbolism where repeated digits are emphasized.
Notable distinctions: 88 is not prime, not square, and not a triangular or Fibonacci number; it is, however, a repdigit palindrome in base 10 and sits at the intersection of binary and decimal patterns useful for elementary number theory discussions.