Difference between revisions of "Hexadecimal"
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| − | '''Hexadecimal'' describes is a positional numeral system with a radix, or base, of 16. The | + | '''Hexadecimal''' describes is a positional numeral system with a [[radix]], or base, of 16. The digit values are: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, A, B, C, D, E and F. Because each digit has a place value, one can convert a hexadecimal number into a decimal number by translating each digit and then multiplying it by 16. For example, the hexadecimal number A1F is equal to (((10x16)+1)x16)+15 = 2,591. |
Early computers used a binary coded decimal (BCD) internal notation to store numbers, so that each memory position would hold a separate decimal digit. Later computer designers realized that it would be more efficient to assign computer memory addresses to [[byte]]s which could hold any value from 0 to 256. Because 256 was 16*16, computer scientists found it easy to represent the content of each byte as a pair of hexadecimal digits (from 00 to FF). This resulting in the widespread use of hexadecimal notation when dealing with computers. | Early computers used a binary coded decimal (BCD) internal notation to store numbers, so that each memory position would hold a separate decimal digit. Later computer designers realized that it would be more efficient to assign computer memory addresses to [[byte]]s which could hold any value from 0 to 256. Because 256 was 16*16, computer scientists found it easy to represent the content of each byte as a pair of hexadecimal digits (from 00 to FF). This resulting in the widespread use of hexadecimal notation when dealing with computers. | ||
[[Category:Mathematics]] | [[Category:Mathematics]] | ||
Revision as of 17:22, February 5, 2015
Hexadecimal describes is a positional numeral system with a radix, or base, of 16. The digit values are: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, A, B, C, D, E and F. Because each digit has a place value, one can convert a hexadecimal number into a decimal number by translating each digit and then multiplying it by 16. For example, the hexadecimal number A1F is equal to (((10x16)+1)x16)+15 = 2,591.
Early computers used a binary coded decimal (BCD) internal notation to store numbers, so that each memory position would hold a separate decimal digit. Later computer designers realized that it would be more efficient to assign computer memory addresses to bytes which could hold any value from 0 to 256. Because 256 was 16*16, computer scientists found it easy to represent the content of each byte as a pair of hexadecimal digits (from 00 to FF). This resulting in the widespread use of hexadecimal notation when dealing with computers.