108 (number) facts for kids

108 is a natural number that comes right after 107 and just before 109. It's a special number found in many different areas, from math to sports and even ancient traditions. In India, 108 is an important emergency phone number, similar to 911 in some other countries. You can call it for medical, police, or fire emergencies.

The Number 108

The number 108 is interesting for many reasons. It appears in mathematics, sports, and has deep meaning in several cultures and religions around the world.

Math Facts About 108

In mathematics, 108 has some cool properties:

• It is a Harshad number. This means it can be divided evenly by the sum of its own digits. For 108, the digits are 1, 0, and 8. If you add them up (1 + 0 + 8), you get 9. And 108 divided by 9 is 12, so it works!
• It is an Abundant number. An abundant number is one where the sum of its factors (numbers that divide into it evenly, not including itself) is greater than the number itself. The factors of 108 (excluding 108) are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18, 27, 36, 54. If you add these up, you get 172, which is more than 108.
• It is also a Tetranacci number. This is a sequence where each number is the sum of the previous four numbers.

108 in Sports

You might find the number 108 popping up in sports:

• In baseball, a baseball has 108 stitches. This is a fun fact for fans of the game.
• In golf, some golf courses have 108 holes if you combine all their different courses.

Cultural and Religious Importance

The number 108 holds special meaning in many different cultures and religions, especially in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. It is often seen as a sacred or complete number.

Hinduism and Buddhism

• In Hinduism and Buddhism, there are often 108 beads on a japa mala (prayer beads). These beads are used to count repetitions of prayers or mantras.
• Many ancient texts and traditions mention 108. For example, some say there are 108 Upanishads, which are important Hindu scriptures.
• In Yoga, there are often 108 sun salutations performed in a sequence, especially during special events or changes in seasons.
• Some Buddhist temples have 108 steps, and ringing a bell 108 times is a common practice to mark the New Year. This is believed to ward off 108 earthly temptations.

Other Traditions

• In astronomy, the distance from the Earth to the Sun is about 108 times the diameter of the Sun. Also, the distance from the Earth to the Moon is about 108 times the diameter of the Moon.
• In martial arts, especially in some forms of Tai Chi and Karate, there are often 108 movements or forms. This number is thought to represent completeness or a full cycle of training.

Images for kids

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  Japa mala, or japa beads, made from tulasi wood, consisting of 108 beads plus the head bead.

See also

• In Spanish: Ciento ocho para niños