0x10CF

0x10CF is a hexadecimal literal. The prefix 0x indicates that the digits that follow are in base-16. The four-digit sequence 10CF translates to decimal 4303, and in binary it is 0001 0000 1100 1111. This representation is common in computing because hex digits map neatly to four-bit groups, making it convenient to express and inspect binary data.

In practice, 0x10CF can occur in various contexts where 16-bit values are used. In programming languages such as C, C++, Java, or JavaScript, 0x10CF is interpreted as the integer 4303. Depending on context, it might be used as a constant, an address offset, a bit mask, or a value loaded into a register. When used as a bit mask, for example, the individual bits corresponding to the hex digits can be manipulated through bitwise operations.

In hardware and low-level software, hex values like 0x10CF may appear as memory addresses, I/O port numbers, or machine-code references within a specific architecture. The exact meaning of 0x10CF is not inherent to the value itself; it depends on the surrounding system design, software, and the data format in use.

Overall, 0x10CF serves as a compact, human-readable form for a 16-bit quantity. Its interpretation varies with context, underscoring the importance of accompanying documentation or architectural conventions to determine its role in a given domain.

See also: hexadecimal notation, binary numeral system, memory address, bit masking.