0x3FE

0x3FE is a hexadecimal numeral representing the decimal value 1022. The prefix 0x denotes hexadecimal notation, a common convention in computer science for expressing byte- and word-sized constants, addresses, and bit patterns.

In binary terms, 0x3FE equals 1111111110 (in 10 bits), and it is equal to 2^10 minus 2. It is one less than 0x3FF, which is 1023, and two less than 0x400, which is 1024. These relationships make 0x3FE a useful reference point near the top of a 10-bit value range or address space.

Common contexts where 0x3FE appears include programming and digital design. In software, it is used as a constant in code written in languages that support hexadecimal literals, such as C, C++, Java, and Python. It can serve as a test value near the upper end of a 10-bit range or as a bit mask. As a mask, 0x3FE highlights that the most significant nine bits are set while the least significant bit is cleared, when applying a bitwise operation to a 10-bit quantity.

In hardware and computer science education, 0x3FE often surfaces in examples illustrating binary patterns, masking, and address arithmetic within a 10-bit framework. It is also commonly compared with 0x3FF (the maximum 10-bit value) and 0x400 (the next power of two) to demonstrate proximity to boundaries and related overflow behavior.

See also: 0x3FF, 0x400.