Hexadecimal

In mathematics and computer science, hexadecimal, or simply hex, is a numeral system with a radix or base of 16 usually written using the symbols 0–9 and A–F or a–f. The current hexadecimal system was first introduced to the computing world in 1963 by IBM. An earlier version, using the digits 0–9 and u–z, was used by the Bendix G-15 computer, introduced in 1956.

Related Topics:
Mathematics - Computer science - Numeral system - Radix - 16 - IBM - Bendix G-15

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For example, the decimal numeral 79 whose binary representation is 01001111 can be written as 4F in hexadecimal (4 = 0100, F = 1111).

Related Topics:
Decimal - Binary

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It is a useful system in computers because there is an easy mapping from four bits to a single hex digit. A byte can be represented as two consecutive hexadecimal digits.

Related Topics:
Computers - Bit - Byte

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It was IBM that decided on the prefix of "hexa" rather than the proper Latin but more politically incorrect prefix of "sexa". The word "hexadecimal" is strange in that hexa is derived from the Greek έξι (hexi) for "six" and decimal is derived from the Latin for "ten". It may have been derived from the Latin root, but Greek deka is so similar to the Latin decem that some would not consider this nomenclature inconsistent. An older term was the pure Latin "sexidecimal", but that was changed because some people thought it too risqué, and it also had an alternative meaning of "base 60". However, the word "sexagesimal" (base-60) retains the prefix. The earlier Bendix documentation used the term "sexadecimal".

Related Topics:
Greek - Latin - Base 60 - Sexagesimal

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