For example, is a wasteful number since its factorization uses 4 digits.
Some authors call the wasteful numbers extravagant or prodigal.
The numbers which are not wasteful are called economical.
The first wasteful numbers are 4, 6, 8, 9, 12, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 33, 34, 36, 38, 39, 40, 42, 44, 45, 46, 48, 50, 51, 52, 54, 55 more terms
Below, the spiral pattern of wasteful numbers up to . See the page on prime numbers for an explanation and links to similar pictures.