How To Calculate Hue

Hue Calculation Formula:

\[ H = 60 \times \left( \frac{(G - B)}{(max - min)} \mod 6 \right) \text{ if R is max} \]

Calculated Hue (H):

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1. What is Hue in HSV Color Model?

Hue is one of the main properties of color in the HSV (Hue, Saturation, Value) color model. It represents the dominant wavelength of the color and is measured in degrees (0°-360°) around a color wheel, where 0° is red, 120° is green, and 240° is blue.

2. How Does the Hue Calculation Work?

The calculator uses the standard HSV conversion formula:

\[ H = \begin{cases} 60 \times \left( \frac{(G - B)}{\Delta} \mod 6 \right) & \text{if } R = \max(R,G,B) \\ 60 \times \left( \frac{(B - R)}{\Delta} + 2 \right) & \text{if } G = \max(R,G,B) \\ 60 \times \left( \frac{(R - G)}{\Delta} + 4 \right) & \text{if } B = \max(R,G,B) \end{cases} \]

Where:

\( R, G, B \) — Red, Green, Blue components (0-1)
\( \Delta \) — Difference between max and min RGB values
\( \max(R,G,B) \) — Maximum of R, G, B values

Explanation: The formula calculates the hue angle based on which RGB component has the maximum value, with adjustments to ensure the result falls within the 0°-360° range.

3. Importance of Hue Calculation

Details: Hue calculation is essential in color theory, digital image processing, graphic design, and computer vision applications. It helps in color segmentation, color-based object detection, and creating color harmonies in design.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter normalized RGB values between 0 and 1. The calculator will automatically determine which component is dominant and calculate the corresponding hue angle in degrees.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why use normalized RGB values (0-1) instead of 0-255?
A: Normalized values simplify the mathematical calculations and make the formula more universally applicable across different color representation systems.

Q2: What does a hue of 0° represent?
A: A hue of 0° represents pure red in the color wheel. The hue values wrap around, so 360° is also red.

Q3: How is hue different from saturation and value?
A: Hue defines the color itself, saturation defines the intensity/purity of the color, and value defines the brightness of the color.

Q4: Can hue be calculated when all RGB values are equal?
A: When R=G=B, the color is grayscale and the hue is technically undefined (set to 0° by convention).

Q5: What are some practical applications of hue calculation?
A: Color-based image segmentation, skin detection, traffic sign recognition, artistic color manipulation, and creating color themes in design applications.