1. What is Hexadecimal?

Hexadecimal (base-16) is a numerical system that uses 16 distinct symbols: 0-9 to represent values zero to nine, and A-F to represent values ten to fifteen. It's widely used in computing and programming as a human-friendly representation of binary-coded values.

2. How Hexadecimal Calculations Work

The calculator performs operations by:

Process:

1. Convert both hexadecimal inputs to decimal (base 10)
2. Perform the selected arithmetic operation in decimal
3. Convert the result back to hexadecimal format

3. When to Use Hexadecimal

Common Uses:

• Memory addressing in computer systems
• Representing binary data in a compact form
• Color codes in web design (e.g., #RRGGBB)
• Debugging and low-level programming

4. Using the Calculator

Instructions:

• Enter valid hexadecimal values (0-9, A-F)
• Select the operation to perform
• View both hexadecimal and decimal results
• For division by zero, result shows ∞ (infinity)

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why use hexadecimal instead of decimal?
A: Hexadecimal is more compact than binary and aligns well with byte boundaries (2 hex digits = 1 byte).

Q2: Are letters case-sensitive in hex values?
A: No, the calculator accepts both uppercase and lowercase letters (A-F or a-f).

Q3: What happens if I enter invalid hex characters?
A: The calculator will show an error or unexpected results. Only 0-9 and A-F/a-f are valid.

Q4: Can I perform bitwise operations with this calculator?
A: No, this calculator only handles basic arithmetic operations. For bitwise operations, you'd need a programmer's calculator.

Q5: How are negative numbers represented in hex?
A: Negative numbers are typically represented using two's complement notation in computing, but this calculator shows simple signed decimal results.