Which base is the binary number system?

Which base is the binary number system?

• A. Decimal
• B. Hexadecimal
• C. Binary
• D. Octal

Answer: (C)

Base refers to how many distinct digits a number system uses and how each position is weighted by powers of that base. In binary, you only have two digits, 0 and 1, and each position represents a power of two. That makes binary a base-two system. For example, the binary 1011 equals 1×2^3 + 0×2^2 + 1×2^1 + 1×2^0 = 11 in decimal. Other bases use more digits: decimal is base ten with digits 0–9, hexadecimal is base sixteen with digits 0–9 and A–F, and octal is base eight with digits 0–7.

Base refers to how many distinct digits a number system uses and how each position is weighted by powers of that base. In binary, you only have two digits, 0 and 1, and each position represents a power of two. That makes binary a base-two system. For example, the binary 1011 equals 1×2^3 + 0×2^2 + 1×2^1 + 1×2^0 = 11 in decimal. Other bases use more digits: decimal is base ten with digits 0–9, hexadecimal is base sixteen with digits 0–9 and A–F, and octal is base eight with digits 0–7.