Question

Hex codes are used to specify colours on the computer. What colour is the Hex Code CCCCCC?

• A. White (100% white)
• B. Black (100% black)
• C. Dark Grey (80% black, 20% white)
• D. Light Grey (20% black, 80% white)

Hint:

For grey shades in hex codes: \#000000 is pure black, \#FFFFFF is pure white. Codes with repeating high-value digits (like AA, BB, CC) are light grey, while codes with repeating low-value digits (like 33, 44, 55) are dark grey. \#808080 is considered middle grey.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Question:
The question asks to identify the color represented by the hexadecimal code \texttt{\#CCCCCC}.
Step 2: Key Formula or Approach:
Hexadecimal color codes are represented in a \texttt{\#RRGGBB} format. 'RR', 'GG', and 'BB' are two-digit hexadecimal numbers representing the intensity of Red, Green, and Blue light, respectively. The values range from \texttt{00} (0 in decimal, minimum intensity) to \texttt{FF} (255 in decimal, maximum intensity). When the values for R, G, and B are identical, the resulting color is a shade of grey.
Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
In the given code \texttt{CCCCCC}, we have:
- RR = \texttt{CC}
- GG = \texttt{CC}
- BB = \texttt{CC}
Since R = G = B, the color is a shade of grey. To determine if it is light or dark grey, we convert the hexadecimal value \texttt{CC} to decimal.
In hexadecimal, C represents the decimal value 12.
\[ \text{CC}_{16} = (12 \times 16^1) + (12 \times 16^0) = 192 + 12 = 204_{10} \] The color intensity scale ranges from 0 (black) to 255 (white). The value 204 is much closer to 255 than to 0.
To express this as a percentage of white, we calculate:
\[ \frac{204}{255} \times 100% \approx 80% \] This means the color is an 80% tint of white, which is a light grey. This corresponds to the description "20% black, 80% white".
Step 4: Final Answer:
The Hex Code \texttt{CCCCCC} represents a light grey. This corresponds to option (D).