TCPIP协议族，第3版（影印版）下载 附录B.pdfVIP

APPENDIX B Numbering Systems We use different numbering systems: base 10 (decimal), base 2 (binary), base 8 (octal), base 16 (hexadecimal), base 256, and so on. All of the numbering systems examined here are positional, meaning that the position of a symbol in relation to other symbols determines its value. Each symbol in a number has a position. The position traditionally starts from 0 and goes to n − 1, where n is the number of symbols. For example, in Fig- ure B.1, the decimal number 14782 has five symbols in positions 0 to 4. Figure B.1 Positions and symbols in a number Decimal Number: 14782 1 4 7 8 2 Symbols 4 3 2 1 0 Positions As we will see, the difference between different numbering system is based on the weight assigned to each position. B.1 BASE 10: DECIMAL The base 10 or decimal system is the one most familiar to us in everyday life. All of our terms for indicating countable quantities are based on it, and, in fact, when we speak of other numbering systems, we tend to refer to their quantities by their decimal equiva- lents. The term decimal is derived from the Latin stem deci, meaning ten. The decimal system uses 10 symbols to represent quantitative values: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. Decimal numbers use 10 symbols: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. 776 SECTION B.2 BASE 2: BINARY 777 Weights In the