The decimal number system is based on power of 10. The value of each columm position from right to left is multiplied by the
number 10.(the base number) raised to a power (exponent) The power that 10 is raised to depends on its position to the left
of the decimal poit. When a decimal number is read from right to left, the first (right-most) position represents 10 (1), and the second position represent 10 (10*1=10). The third position represents 10 (10*10=100). The seventh position to the left
represent 10 (10*10*10*10*10*10=1,000,000). This is true no matter how many columms the number has
For example:
There is a 4 in the ones position, a 3 in the tens position, a 1 in the hundreds position and a 2 in thousands position. This example seems obvious when the decimal number system used Seeing exactly how the decimal system works is important, because it is needed for you to understand two other number system , binary (base 2) and hexa-decimal (base 16). These systems use the same methods as the decimal system. Human-readable IP address are expressed in base 10 (decimal). The IP address 172.16.14.188 is made up of four decimal numbers separated by dots or periods.
Base 2 Number System
Computers recognize and process data using the binary , or base 2, number system. The binary number system uses only
two symbols (0 and 1) instead of the ten symbol used in the decimal, or base 10, number system. The position, or place, of each digit represents the number 2 (the base number) raised to a power (exponent) based on its position as documented in Table 1-4.