How many different numbers are used in the hexadecimal system?

Answer 1

Hexadecimal numbers are used in computing for the convenience of humans since the computer really only understands pure binary. Hex is much more compact than binary since it is based on 16 (the fourth power of 2) instead of 2. Pure binary numbers based on 2 can quickly become unwieldy to write. For example, the three-digit decimal number 513 requires ten digits in pure binary (1000000001) but only three (201) in hex. Representing hex numbers requires sixteen distinct characters compared to the ten used in decimal notation. The sixteen characters that are used are the ten numeric symbols, 0-9, and the first six letters of the alphabet, A-F. The letters are often, but not always, capitalized. Thus, the first ten numbers 0-9 are written the same in both decimal and hex and the equivalents of the decimal numbers 10-15 are indicated by a single letter, ranging from A to F

Decimal - Hex

0 - 0

1 - 1

2 - 2

3 - 3

4 - 4

5 - 5

6 - 6

7 - 7

8 - 8

9 - 9

10 - A

11 - B

12 - C

13 - D

14 - E

15 - F

16 -10

17 - 11

18 - 12

19 - 13

20 - 14