Base (Mathematics)

In mathematics, the term "base" refers to the number of unique digits, including zero, that a number system uses to represent numbers. The most common base is 10, or decimal, which uses the digits 0-9. Base 2, or binary, uses only 0 and 1, and is essential for computer systems. Other bases, like base 16 (hexadecimal), use digits 0-9 and letters A-F. The base determines how we interpret the value of digits depending on their position in a number, making it fundamental to arithmetic and number representation.