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Using different numbering systems/notations, "normal" decimal numeric expressions can be presented variously.

For example, my age (57) is represented in hexadecimal as "39"

However, once I'm 58, it would be "3A"

How are hex numbers pronounced? Is it proper (ethics aside) to say that (in hexadecimal) I'm "thirty-nine"? Or is it pronounced "three nine" or some other way?

And what about "3A" - would it be "thirty ten" or "three A" or...???

Of course, the same question applies to other numbering systems: octal, or one of your own derivation, etc.

B. Clay Shannon-B. Crow Raven
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    You're "39 Hex" or "Three Aay hex" etc. or you could be Zero Ex Three Aay ;-) – Jim Jun 07 '16 at 16:52
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    There are no absolute rules in play here. Over the years I've often heard / said things like A space character is twenty* in hex. But it's a potentially confusing usage, so reading out the digits (two zero)* is probably better. I certainly don't think I'd ever say A space is ten thousand one hundred in binary. Have a look at this reddit post. – FumbleFingers Jun 07 '16 at 16:54
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    So the rule seems to be simple Arabic numerals + (in) + whatever system you're using? – DyingIsFun Jun 07 '16 at 16:56
  • Note that "3A" - would it be "thirty ten" would obviously be complete nonsense, since you're actually switching bases within the same lexical element. – FumbleFingers Jun 07 '16 at 16:57
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    Hex in my experience, either way back in the EBCDIC era or for MAC addresses was expressed in pairs or as a series of pairs, for example "three ay, six eff (hex)". The addition of "hex" would have been made if thought necessary. For example, one would not bother when giving a MAC address. Octal was expressed in triplets as "one twenty seven octal". But with octal, I would always say "octal", presumably because of the ambiguity. – Al Maki Jun 07 '16 at 17:50
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    It might be pronounced "three able", if a phonetic alphabet is being used. – Hot Licks Jun 07 '16 at 18:09
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    Directly to the OP, I believe the proper phrase would be "My age is Hex39." Clearly meaning that the coding syntax in hexadecimal for my age is 39. The context where hex is used most often typically includes either the stated reference of "hex" or when written, a few different prefixes. One as is common with MS errors "0x" then some addition digits like 0x0080080. In XML the prefix is &#x, HTML and CSS simply use #. There are many other but there is ALWAYS an absolute syntax to reference hex. wiki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hexadecimal – htm11h Jun 07 '16 at 19:33
  • I can't imagine you would pronounce $39_12$ as "thirty-nine," since "thirty-nine" means this many: |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||, and $39_12$ does not represent that many things. – Azor Ahai -him- Jun 08 '16 at 01:13

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I have never pronounced hexadecimal numbers in any way other than digit-by-digit, with numerals and letters pronounced as numerals and letters. If context had not been established, I always preceded the recitation with the word "hex."

Senex Ægypti Parvi
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