FC0-U71 Tech Concepts and Terminology Practice Question
A network engineer is configuring a device and needs to enter a MAC address. Which notational system is typically used for MAC addresses?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap is that both MAC addresses and IPv6 addresses use hexadecimal, so candidates sometimes second-guess themselves — but the key giveaway is the 12-digit colon-separated format, which is uniquely MAC, and hex is always the answer for MAC notation.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
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Hexadecimal
MAC addresses are 48-bit identifiers written as 12 hexadecimal digits, typically grouped in pairs separated by colons or hyphens (e.g., 00:1A:2B:3C:4D:5E). Hexadecimal is used because each hex digit maps cleanly to 4 bits, so 12 hex digits represent exactly 48 bits without ambiguity. This makes hexadecimal the standard notational system for MAC addresses.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Hexadecimal
Why this is correct
Hexadecimal notation represents each of a MAC address's 48 bits as twelve digits grouped in pairs, matching the six-octet structure defined by IEEE 802. The stem asks which notational system is typically used, and hexadecimal is the standard convention for expressing MAC addresses, unlike dotted-decimal or binary forms.
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Octal
Why it's wrong here
MAC addresses are written in hexadecimal, not octal, so entering an octal value cannot represent the 48-bit address correctly. Octal notation is genuinely used for Unix file permissions and some legacy PDP-8 and mainframe instruction encodings, where three-bit groupings map naturally.
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Decimal
Why it's wrong here
Decimal cannot express a MAC address's byte structure, since each of the six octets is conventionally written as two hexadecimal digits. Decimal is genuinely used for IPv4 dotted-decimal addressing, where each octet is a 0-255 value.
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Binary
Why it's wrong here
Binary would require 48 digits per MAC address, so it is not the notational system used for entering them. Binary is genuinely used for subnet masks and bit-level calculations, where each bit's position must be inspected individually.
Quick reference
Access Control Model Comparison
| Model | Acronym | Who Controls Access? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discretionary Access Control | DAC | Resource owner | Small teams, file shares |
| Mandatory Access Control | MAC | System / security labels | Classified govt / military |
| Role-Based Access Control | RBAC | Administrator (via roles) | Enterprise environments |
| Attribute-Based Access Control | ABAC | Policy engine (user + resource attributes) | Fine-grained, dynamic policies |
| Rule-Based Access Control | RuBAC | System rules / ACLs | Firewall rules, network ACLs |
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
This FC0-U71 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the FC0-U71 exam.