# Counting in Hexadecimal **URL:** \ **Category:** programming\ **Created:** [November 23, 2014, 9:18pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/counting-in-hexadecimal/354281 "2014-11-23T21:18:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kirupa](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/kirupa/32/11616_2.png) [@kirupa](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/kirupa)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 9:18pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/counting-in-hexadecimal/354281/1 "2014-11-23T21:18:40Z")
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at [http://www.kirupa.com/hodgepodge/counting\_hexadecimal.htm](http://www.kirupa.com/hodgepodge/counting_hexadecimal.htm) ---
**Author:** ![kirupa](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/kirupa/32/11616_2.png) [@kirupa](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/kirupa)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 4:42am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/counting-in-hexadecimal/354281/2 "2020-01-29T04:42:30Z")
Yes, while the original version of this article was posted in November 2014, I decided to re-write it. Not quite sure why, but it was a fun thing to spend some time doing πŸ˜› ---
**Author:** ![REB\_412](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/reb_412/32/9233_2.png) [@REB\_412](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/REB_412)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2020, 4:15pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/counting-in-hexadecimal/354281/3 "2020-02-01T16:15:59Z")
Maybe it was just a mis-type but the 1492 example has this line: ```auto 14 / 19 = 1 remainder 4 ``` where 19 should really be 10. ---
**Author:** ![kirupa](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/kirupa/32/11616_2.png) [@kirupa](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/kirupa)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2020, 6:58pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/counting-in-hexadecimal/354281/4 "2020-02-03T18:58:03Z")
Good catch! Just fixed it. I blame fat fingers! πŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![REB\_412](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/reb_412/32/9233_2.png) [@REB\_412](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/REB_412)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2020, 7:01pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/counting-in-hexadecimal/354281/5 "2020-02-03T19:01:04Z")
That is probably it. The β€œ9” and β€œ0” are awfully close on the keyboard. ---
**Author:** ![Jeffry\_Suter](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/jeffry_suter/32/13952_2.png) [@Jeffry\_Suter](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/Jeffry_Suter)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2021, 9:13am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/counting-in-hexadecimal/354281/6 "2021-03-22T09:13:54Z")
The right hand assign 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,a,b,c,d,e,f to the knuckle joints and the tips to all but the thumb acting as a place holder for 0,1. 65536 to base 16 ==\> [65]536/16 = 4 (touch index finger tip) ==\> [153]6/16 = 9 (touch middle finger knuckle) ==\> 96/16 = 6(touch middle finger tip) ==\> 3 calculations. Represent 3 digitally using thumb as 1, pointer as 2, middle as 4, ring as 8, pinky as 16. 3 calculations means 3 placeholders. Slide thumb from 9 to the 10. 10\*100 = 1000 /// 42 to base 16 ==\> 42/16 = 2 remainder 6. Place thumb on the base 16 two placeholder(pointer knuckle). Remainder is 6. go base-2. Two calculations. Slide thumb 2 to left touching base-16 A place holder. Answer is 2A. I think this is using ones’ hand as a logarithmic slide rule. After reading your explanation I thought to myself β€˜that’s the long way’ and came up with this. I have been counting on my fingers digitally and hexadecimmaly now for a couple of weeks because I thought it would be nice to think in base-2 and base-16 along with base-10. It has been nice. If i am using my fingers mathematically incorrectly please inform me and I will make adjustment to make it right. Regards, Jeff ---
**Author:** ![kirupa](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/kirupa/32/11616_2.png) [@kirupa](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/kirupa)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2025, 11:54pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/counting-in-hexadecimal/354281/7 "2025-05-14T23:54:14Z")
The video I used for this earlier was not great! I just re-recorded it now with this one πŸ™‚ [![](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/1/1/11f528e1413164b7b25ad15e2a46aeb895222d4d.jpeg "Counting in Binary and Hexadecimal") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dr7NXyqynuQ)