Question

When and why are octal and hexadecimal numbers preferred over binary numbers?

Answer 1

Since 16 is equivalent to 24, there is a linear relationship between the numbers 2 and 16. This means that one hexadecimal digit is equivalent to four binary digits. Computers use binary numbering system while humans use hexadecimal numbering system to shorten binary and make it easier to understand.

Answer 2

Answer:

Heya

Explanation:

Octal (base-8) and hexadecimal (base-16) numbers are a reasonable compromise between the binary (base-2) system computers use and decimal (base-10) system most humans use.

Computers aren't good at multiple symbols, thus base 2 (where you only have 2 symbols) is suitable for them while longer strings ,numbers with more digits, are less of a problem. Humans are very good with multiple symbols, but aren't that good in remembering longer strings.

Octal and hex use the human advantage that they can work with lots of symbols while it is still easily convertible back and forth between binary, because every hex digit represents 4 binary digits (16=2^4) and every octal digit represents 3 (8=2^3). I think hex wins over octal because it can easily be used to represent bytes and 16/32/64-bit numbers.