The concept of number system evolved from early ages. At that time, men used sticks, stone etc. to represent some value. Also, ten fingers of hand were used to count and remember some values. This led to the development of the number system. Decimal number system is the earliest known and used number system. It is also the most commonly used number system. Most of the calculation perform in our day-to-day life consist of decimal numbers, but the computer does not use decimal number system. Rather, it works with binary numbers, which consists of only two digits: 0 and 1 to represent any value.
Computer architecture supports the following number systems.
1. Binary number system
Among all the positional number systems, the binary system is the most dominant number system that is employed by almost all the modern digital computer systems. A Binary Number System consists of two digits, 0 and 1. Its base is 2. Each digit or a bit in a binary number system can be 0 or 1. A combination of binary numbers may be used to represent different quantities, like 1001. These symbols 0 and 1, which are also known as bits in computer terminology. By using these digits computational problems can be solved by machines because in digital electronics a transistor is used in two states. Those two states can be represented by 0 and 1. That is why this number system is the most preferred in modern computer engineer, networking and communication and other professionals.
2. Decimal number system
Around 500 A.D., the Hindu counting system was developed. This considered of 10 digits; 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8, and 9. A digit is a figure such as a finger. This system of counting is known as decimal system. The number written on the basis of 10 is known as decimal number. The decimal number system consists of ten digits from 0 to 9. These digits can be used to represent any numeric value. Every number represents with 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8, and 9in this number system. The base of decimal number system is 10, because it has only 10 digits. It is the most widely used number system. The value represented by an individual digit depends on weight and position of the digit.
3. Octal number system
The Octal number system has only eight digits, from 0 to 7. Every number represents with 0,1,2,3,4,5,6, and 7in this number system. The base of octal number system is 8, because it has only 8 digits. Each digit position in this system represents a power of 8. Any digit in this system is always less than 8. Octal number system is used as a shorthand representation of long binary numbers. The number 6418 is not valid in this number system, as 8 is not a valid digit.
4. Hexadecimal number system
The Hexadecimal number system consists of 16 digits from 0 to 9 and A to F. The alphabets A to F represent decimal numbers from 10 to 15. The base of this number system is 16. Each digit position in hexadecimal system represents a power of 16. The number is a valid hexadecimal number. This number system provides a shortcut method to represent long binary numbers. Here A is 10, B is 11, C is 12, D is 13, E is 14 and F is 15.
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