Denary, also known as decimal, is a positional numeral system used in mathematics and computing. Named after the Latin word meaning “containing ten”, it is based on powers of ten and uses ten different symbols to represent numeric values from 0 to 9.
Denary is a base-10 system, meaning that there are 10 digits in the system. Each digit holds a different place value, ranging from 1 (least significant) to 10 (most significant). Each position contains a different power of the base, so that for example a three-digit number such as 142 would represent 1*10^2 + 4*10^1 + 2*10^0, or 100 + 40 + 2 = 142.
In programming, denary is used as the primary data type for numeric values. It supports both integer and floating point representations. Since it is based on powers of ten, denary value can be easily converted into other numeral systems, such as binary and hexadecimal.
In computing, denary values are used for calculations, memory management, and representation of textual and numeric data. It is also used in the networking industry and coding languages such as HTML and CSS.
Although denary has many uses, it has its drawbacks. When performing calculations with decimal numbers, rounding errors can occur due to finite precision. To prevent these issues, higher precision representations such as double or quadruple precision are used. Additionally, denary values can be quite slow to calculate when compared to binary or hexadecimal.
Despite its drawbacks, denary remains a popular numeral system in mathematics and computing. Its widespread use is a testament to its versatility and simplicity.
