Meaning of radix – UGC NET Question

The radix of a number system is the base with respect to which positional weights are defined. It determines the number of distinct digit symbols available and the powers used for place values. For example, binary has radix 2 and decimal has radix 10.

Option A:
Option A correctly states that radix and base are synonymous in the context of number systems. Knowing the radix tells us both the set of allowed digits and the multipliers for each position.

Option B:
Option B, maximum digit, is related but not identical because the maximum digit is always radix − 1, not the radix itself. Thus, it conflates two distinct concepts.

Option C:
Option C, number of digits in a number, varies from numeral to numeral and is unrelated to the fixed property of the system’s base.

Option D:
Option D, exponent, refers to the power applied to the base in specific positional weights, but is not the radix itself.