Number Systems in Computer
What are Number Systems in Computer
Number systems are the technique to represent numbers in the computer system architecture, every value that you are saving or getting into/from computer memory has a defined number system. Computer architecture supports following number systems;
- Binary number system
- Octal number system
- Decimal number system
- Hexadecimal (hex) number system
Binary number system
A Binary number system has only two digits that are 0 and 1. Every number (value) represents with 0 and 1 in this number system. The base of binary number system is 2, because it has only two digits.
Octal number system
Octal number system has only eight (8) digits from 0 to 7. Every number (value) represents with 0,1,2,3,4,5,6 and 7 in this number system. The base of octal number system is 8, because it has only 8 digits.
Decimal number system
Decimal number system has only ten (10) digits from 0 to 9. Every number (value) represents with 0,1,2,3,4,5,6, 7,8 and 9 in this number system. The base of decimal number system is 10, because it has only 10 digits.
Hexadecimal (hex) number system
A Hexadecimal number system has sixteen (16) alphanumeric values from 0 to 9 and A to F. Every number (value) represents with 0,1,2,3,4,5,6, 7,8,9,A,B,C,D,E and F in this number system. The base of hexadecimal number system is 16, because it has 16 alphanumeric values. Here A is 10, B is 11, C is 12, D is 13, E is 14 and F is 15.
Table of the Numbers Systems with Base, Used Digits, Representation, C language representation:
| Number System | Base | Used digits | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binary | 2 | 0,1 | |
| Octal | 8 | 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7 | |
| Decimal | 10 | 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 | |
| Hexadecimal | 16 | 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9, A,B,C,D,E,F |