The number system or the numeral system is the system of naming or representing numbers. We know that a number is a mathematical value that helps to count or measure objects and it helps in performing various mathematical calculations. There are different types of number systems in Mathematics like decimal number system, binary number system, octal number system, and hexadecimal number system.
What is a Number?
A number is a mathematical value used for counting or measuring or labelling objects. Numbers are used to perform arithmetic calculations. Examples of numbers are natural numbers, whole numbers, rational and irrational numbers, etc. 0 is also a number that represents a null value.
A number has many other variations such as even and odd numbers, prime and composite numbers. Even and odd terms are used when a number is divisible by 2 or not, whereas prime and composite differentiate between the numbers that have only two factors and more than two factors, respectively.
What is Number System in Mathematics?
A number system is defined as a system of writing to express numbers. It is the mathematical notation for representing numbers of a given set by using digits or other symbols in a consistent manner. It provides a unique representation of every number and represents the arithmetic and algebraic structure of the figures. It also allows us to operate arithmetic operations like addition, subtraction and division.
The value of any digit in a number can be determined by:
- The digit
- Its position in the number
- The base of the number system
Types of Number Systems
There are different types of number systems in which the four main types are as follows.
- Binary number system (Base – 2)
- Octal number system (Base – 8)
- Decimal number system (Base – 10)
- Hexadecimal number system (Base – 16)
Conversion of Number Systems
Conversion between numbers systems is quite an easy task. Any number from any number system can be converted to other number systems with the help of certain methods.