Base 8 (Octal) Numbering system
Digits used are the Indian/Arabic numbers 0 thru 7. Each number occupies a place value. When 7 is reached, the value goes to 0 and 1 is added to the next place value.
0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,20,etc
Each place value to the left is equal to 8 times the place value to the right which implies that each place value to the right is equal to the place value to the left divided by 8.
continuing infinitely <- 4096,512,64,8,1
Octal is used to represent binary data. Its use applies primarily to the representation of letters and numbers as they are stored in computers. One octal digit represents 3 binary digits (interpreting the 3 binary digits as a binary number). Thus using octal it is possible to represent groups of binary digits (bits) using the numbers 0 thru 7. Hexadecimal also represents binary data, but hex represents 4 binary digits (intrepreting the 4 binary digits as a binary number). It uses the numbers 0 thru 9 and the letters A thru F (the A thru F representing 10 thru 15).
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Last update on 01/26/98
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