The hexadecimal numeral system, commonly known as hex, is a numerical system used in mathematics and computer science. It is a base-16 system that represents numbers using 16 distinct symbols, including the digits 0-9 and the letters A-F. Hexadecimal is widely used in computing due to its relationship with binary, the fundamental language of computers.
In the hexadecimal system, each digit position represents a power of 16. The rightmost position holds the units place, the next position to the left holds the 16s place, the next position holds the 256s place, and so on. The symbols 0-9 represent the values 0-9, while the letters A-F represent the decimal values 10-15, respectively.
Hexadecimal is popularly used in various applications, such as representing colors in web design, organizing memory addresses in computer systems, and displaying binary data for human comprehension. It offers a more compact and concise representation compared to binary, as two hexadecimal digits can represent a byte of binary data.
Converting hexadecimal numbers to decimal can be done by multiplying each digit by the corresponding power of 16 and adding the results. Conversely, converting a decimal number to hexadecimal involves finding the remainder and quotient when continuously dividing by 16.
With its widespread use in computer programming and digital systems, the hexadecimal numeral system plays a crucial role in modern computing technologies.
