Why do embedded programmers use hex?

Hexadecimal maps cleanly to binary: each hex digit represents exactly 4 bits (a nibble). This makes it easy to read bit patterns in registers, memory addresses, and protocol data.

What is two's complement?

Two's complement is the standard way to represent signed integers in binary. To negate a number: invert all bits and add 1. For an 8-bit signed integer, range is -128 to 127.

What does 0xFF mean in 8-bit signed vs unsigned?

In 8-bit unsigned, 0xFF = 255. In 8-bit signed (two's complement), 0xFF = -1. This converter shows both interpretations when you toggle the signed/unsigned mode.

Embedded Number Converter

Convert numbers between hex, decimal, binary, and octal.

Bit width

Interpretation

Decimal (base 10)

Hexadecimal (base 16)

Binary (base 2)

Octal (base 8)

Binary layout (MSB → LSB)

Decimal

Hex

0x00

Octal

0o000

Byte count

1 bytes

Byte breakdown (big-endian, MSB first)

Byte 0

0x00

8-bit unsigned range: 0 … 255

Number base conversion for embedded developers

Convert between hex, decimal, binary, and octal with configurable bit widths. The visual bit layout and byte breakdown help debug register values and protocol packets.

Frequently asked questions

Why do embedded programmers use hex?: Hexadecimal maps cleanly to binary: each hex digit represents exactly 4 bits (a nibble). This makes it easy to read bit patterns in registers, memory addresses, and protocol data.
What is two's complement?: Two's complement is the standard way to represent signed integers in binary. To negate a number: invert all bits and add 1. For an 8-bit signed integer, range is -128 to 127.
What does 0xFF mean in 8-bit signed vs unsigned?: In 8-bit unsigned, 0xFF = 255. In 8-bit signed (two's complement), 0xFF = -1. This converter shows both interpretations when you toggle the signed/unsigned mode.

Number base conversion for embedded developers

Frequently asked questions

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