Hexa-Coding
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Published on September 18, 2025
What is Hexa-Coding (or Hexadecimal)?
Hexa-coding, or hexadecimal, is a base-16 number system that uses sixteen distinct symbols to represent numbers. It’s widely used in computer science and digital electronics because it provides a compact and human-readable representation of binary data. In hexadecimal, the digits 0-9 represent themselves, and the letters A-F represent the decimal values 10-15 respectively. This allows for efficient representation of binary data, where each hexadecimal digit corresponds to four binary digits (bits).
Context: Hexadecimal is fundamental in representing colors in web design (using hex color codes), memory addresses, machine code, and many other aspects of computer programming and data representation. It acts as a bridge between the machine’s binary language and human readability.
Examples: The hex color code #FF0000 represents pure red; the hexadecimal number 1A represents the decimal number 26; a memory address might be expressed as 0x1000.
Q&A
Why is hexadecimal used instead of just binary?
While computers work with binary (base-2), binary representations can be very long and cumbersome for humans to read and interpret. Hexadecimal offers a much more compact and easily understandable alternative, making it ideal for representing and working with large amounts of data.
How do I convert from hexadecimal to decimal?
Each position in a hexadecimal number represents a power of 16. For example, to convert 1A to decimal: (1 * 161) + (10 * 160) = 16 + 10 = 26.
Where else is hexadecimal used besides web design?
Hexadecimal is extensively used in areas like computer graphics (representing pixel data), data storage (identifying memory locations), and low-level programming (machine code instructions). It’s a crucial part of many aspects of computer systems.
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