Base Blaster
Number bases, place values, and the math behind binary, hex, and beyond.
Two interactive tools — one concept: how positional number systems really work
Number Bases — Why They Matter
Every number you know is written in base 10 — ten digits (0 through 9),
and each position is worth ten times the one to its right. But computers store everything in
base 2 (binary), using only 0 and 1. Programmers reading memory addresses,
color values, and file permissions work in base 16 (hexadecimal), where the
letters A through F represent the values 10–15. Understanding how these systems work
turns what looks like gibberish — 0xFF, 0b1101, 0o17 —
into readable, logical notation.
Base Blaster gives you two interactive tools for exploring this. Start with Base 10 → N if you’re just beginning: enter a familiar decimal number and watch it expand into any base, with a full place-value table showing exactly how each digit was calculated. Ready for more? The General Converter removes the base-10 requirement entirely — enter a number in any base and convert it to any other, with both place-value tables side by side.