An octal digit refers to any numerical representation within the octal number system. Octal is a base-8 numeral system used to represent numbers, comprising of a total of eight unique symbols or digits: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. These eight digits are utilized to express various numerical values in the octal system.
Each octal digit holds a specific value based on its position in the number. Similar to the decimal system, where the position of a digit determines its value (e.g., in the number 345, the '4' represents 400, the '3' represents 30, and the '5' represents 5), the same principle applies to octal digits. However, due to the octal system's base of 8, each digit holds the value associated with its position multiplied by the power of 8.
For instance, in the octal number 327, the digit '7' is in the ones place (also known as the 0th position). Hence, its value is 7 multiplied by 8^0, which equals 7. The digit '2' is in the eights place (also known as the 1st position), so its value is 2 multiplied by 8^1, which equals 16. Lastly, the digit '3' is in the 64s place (also known as the 2nd position), giving it a value of 3 multiplied by 8^2, which equals 192.
Overall, an octal digit is any symbol within the octal numeral system that is used to represent values in base-8 arithmetic, with each digit's value based on its position within the number.
