Step 1: Understanding the Question:
The question asks for the standard format and digit representation of a physical Media Access Control (MAC) address in computer networking. Step 2: Key Concepts of MAC Address:
- MAC Address: A unique physical address assigned to a Network Interface Card (NIC) by the manufacturer for local hardware-level networking.
- Bit Length: A standard MAC address is 48 bits long (equal to 6 bytes).
- Hexadecimal Representation: Each byte (8 bits) is represented by 2 hexadecimal digits. Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
- Let us calculate the number of hexadecimal digits in a MAC address using basic conversions:
\[ \text{Total bits} = 48 \text{ bits} \]
\[ \text{Total bytes} = \frac{48}{8} = 6 \text{ bytes} \]
- A single hexadecimal digit represents 4 bits (since $2^4 = 16$).
- Therefore, each byte of 8 bits requires:
\[ \text{Digits per byte} = \frac{8 \text{ bits}}{4 \text{ bits/digit}} = 2 \text{ hexadecimal digits} \]
- For a total of 6 bytes, the number of hexadecimal digits is:
\[ \text{Total digits} = 6 \text{ bytes} \times 2 \text{ digits/byte} = 12 \text{ digits} \]
- A typical MAC address is written in the format: XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX or XX-XX-XX-XX-XX-XX, where each X represents a hexadecimal digit. There are 12 such digits in total. Step 4: Final Answer:
A MAC address is a 48-bit address, which is represented as a 12-digit hexadecimal number.
Hence, option (D) is the correct choice.
