hexadecimal number

noun

UK /ˌhɛksəˈdɛsɪməl ˈnʌmbə/

US /ˌhɛksəˈdɛsɪməl ˈnʌmbər/

A hexadecimal number is a number that uses sixteen symbols, the digits 0 to 9 and the letters A to F.

The computer stores the color red as the hexadecimal number FF0000.

SYNONYMS

hex number base-16 number hexadecimal numeral base-16 numeral

RELATED WORDS

binary number decimal number octal number bit byte

OTHER MEANINGS

2. A number written in the base-16 counting system, often used in computing.

Programmers often write memory addresses as hexadecimal numbers like 0x1A3F.

3. A numeral that uses the digits 0-9 and letters A-F to represent values from zero to fifteen in each place.

The hexadecimal number 2B equals 43 in decimal.

4. A compact way to show binary data, where each hex digit stands for four bits.

Each byte can be shown as a two-digit hexadecimal number, such as 7F.