What is the significance of the number 802 in IEEE networking specifications?

Question

Why is the number 802 used for IEEE 802 and what is its meaning? Can you explain how these numbers are assigned in general as well as what 802 in particular is?

Answer 1

From Wikipedia:

The number 802 was simply the next free number IEEE could assign, though “802” is sometimes associated with the date the first meeting was held — February 1980

IEEE = Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and is a professional association chartered for the advancement of technology.

802 is specific to networks with variable packet sizes and is not all-encompassing for networking specifications in general.