May 21, 2025

Hexadecimal number systems

Hexadecimal number systems

In computers, hexadecimal (or hex) is a number system commonly used to represent binary values in a more human-readable form. The hexadecimal system uses a base of 16, which means it has 16 digits: 0-9 and A-F, where A represents 10, B represents 11, and so on up to F representing 15.

Hexadecimal is particularly useful in computing because it provides a compact representation of binary values. Each digit in a hexadecimal number corresponds to a group of four binary digits (bits), which makes it easier to work with binary data. For example, the binary number 11010110 can be represented as D6 in hexadecimal.

Hexadecimal numbers are often used in various computing contexts, such as:

  1. Memory addresses: Memory addresses in computer systems are commonly expressed in hexadecimal format. For example, 0x3A7F represents a memory address in hexadecimal notation.
  2. Color representation: Hexadecimal is widely used to represent colors in web development and graphics. Colors are typically specified using a combination of red, green, and blue (RGB) values, each ranging from 0 to 255. These RGB values are often represented in hexadecimal format, such as #FF0000 for red.
  3. Encoding and decoding: Hexadecimal is frequently used in encoding and decoding operations. For instance, when transferring binary data, it can be represented as a hexadecimal string for easier transmission. Similarly, hexadecimal is used in cryptographic operations and file formats like hexadecimal dumps.
  4. Debugging and low-level programming: When debugging software or working at a low level with hardware, hexadecimal is commonly used to examine and manipulate binary data directly. It allows programmers to easily view and modify memory contents, register values, and other binary representations.

In summary, hexadecimal is a number system commonly used in computers to represent binary values in a more readable and compact format. Its base-16 nature and direct correspondence to binary make it a valuable tool in various computing applications.

Suggested readings:

First Year B Pharm Notes, Syllabus, Books, PDF Subjectwise/Topicwise

F Y B Pharm Sem-IF Y B Pharm Sem-II
BP101T Human Anatomy and Physiology I TheoryBP201T Human Anatomy and Physiology II – Theory
BP102T Pharmaceutical Analysis I TheoryBP202T Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry I Theory
BP103T Pharmaceutics I TheoryBP203T Biochemistry – Theory
BP104T Pharmaceutical Inorganic Chemistry TheoryBP204T Pathophysiology – Theory
BP105T Communication skills TheoryBP205T Computer Applications in Pharmacy Theory
BP106RBT Remedial BiologyBP206T Environmental sciences – Theory
BP106RMT Remedial Mathematics TheoryBP207P Human Anatomy and Physiology II Practical
BP107P Human Anatomy and Physiology PracticalBP208P Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry I Practical
BP108P Pharmaceutical Analysis I PracticalBP209P Biochemistry Practical
BP109P Pharmaceutics I PracticalBP210P Computer Applications in Pharmacy Practical
BP110P Pharmaceutical Inorganic Chemistry Practical
BP111P Communication skills Practical
BP112RBP Remedial Biology Practical