Hexadecimal system: what’s behind it

The hexadecimal system is widely used in computer science, especially in the representation of numbers, color coding and memory addressing

The basics of the hexadecimal system

The hexadecimal system is a fundamental number system that plays an important role primarily in the world of computer science, but also in other areas.

• It is based on the number 16 as a base, in contrast to our everyday decimal system, which is based on the number 10. The hexadecimal system uses 16 different symbols to represent numbers, including the digits 0 to 9 and the letters A to F.

• The name “hexadecimal” is derived from the Greek word “hexa” for six and the Latin word “decem” for ten. The combination of these two terms makes it clear that the hexadecimal system uses sixteen different symbols.

• Hexadecimal numbers are usually prefixed with “0x” or “0X” to distinguish them from decimal numbers. For example, “0x1A” in the hexadecimal system stands for the number 26 in the decimal system.

The use and formation of hex codes

The hexadecimal system is widely used in computer science, especially in programming and in the field of digital electronics.

• A common application is hex codes, which are used to represent colors. A hex code consists of six hexadecimal digits, each of which represents the intensity of the color components red, green and blue (RGB) in a particular color.

• Hex codes are formed by converting the decimal numbers that represent the intensities of the RGB colors into hexadecimal numbers.

• Each color component can take on values between 0 and 255, which corresponds to the range from 00 to FF in the hexadecimal system. For example, the color white is represented in the hexadecimal system by the hex code “FFFFFF”, whereby each color component has the highest possible value of FF.

• Hex codes are not only used for colors, but also in other areas of computer science. Computers use hexadecimal numbers to represent addresses in memory and encode binary data in a human-readable way. This use also extends to programming, where hexadecimal numbers are often used to represent instructions and memory addresses.

• Mastering the hexadecimal system allows computer scientists, computer engineers and technicians to work more efficiently and develop a deeper understanding of how computers and digital systems work. It is therefore one of the fundamental concepts that is of central importance in computer science education and practice.