Which numeral system uses ten distinct symbols, 0-9?

Which numeral system uses ten distinct symbols, 0-9?

• A. Binary
• B. Decimal
• C. Hexadecimal
• D. Octal

Answer: (B)

Understanding numeral systems means recognizing the base and the symbols allowed. The decimal numeral system is base-10, meaning it uses ten distinct symbols, 0 through 9, and each digit’s position represents a power of ten. For example, 47 equals 4×10^1 plus 7×10^0. The other common systems use different bases and symbol sets: binary is base-2 with symbols 0 and 1; octal is base-8 with digits 0–7; hexadecimal is base-16 with digits 0–9 plus letters A–F. Since the question asks which system uses ten distinct symbols 0–9, the decimal system is the correct choice.

Understanding numeral systems means recognizing the base and the symbols allowed. The decimal numeral system is base-10, meaning it uses ten distinct symbols, 0 through 9, and each digit’s position represents a power of ten. For example, 47 equals 4×10^1 plus 7×10^0. The other common systems use different bases and symbol sets: binary is base-2 with symbols 0 and 1; octal is base-8 with digits 0–7; hexadecimal is base-16 with digits 0–9 plus letters A–F. Since the question asks which system uses ten distinct symbols 0–9, the decimal system is the correct choice.