What is the dotted decimal equivalent of a /27 prefix length?

A /27 prefix length indicates that the first 27 bits of the subnet mask are set to 1, while the remaining 5 bits are set to 0. This is commonly used for subnetting in IPv4 networks.

To convert a /27 prefix length into dotted-decimal notation, we first determine how many bits correspond to the subnet mask:

• The first 27 bits filled with ones can be represented in binary as:

11111111.11111111.11111111.11100000

This binary can then be divided into four octets for clarity:

1. The first three octets (255.255.255) are obtained from the first 24 bits, all of which are set to 1 (11111111).

2. The last octet consists of the remaining 5 bits set to 1 and the last 3 bits set to 0:

• The first five bits: 11100 in binary represents 224 in decimal.

Combining these results, the complete subnet mask for a /27 prefix length in dotted decimal notation is indeed 255.255.255.224. This subnet mask allows for 32 IP addresses (2^5 = 32), with