Final answer:
A /28 subnet mask leaves 4 bits for host addresses, creating a block size of 16 IP addresses, including the network and broadcast addresses. For an IP address with a /28 mask, the network address is the first in the block with all host bits set to 0, and the broadcast address is the last, with all host bits set to 1.
Step-by-step explanation:
When given an IP address with a /28 subnet mask, the network definition includes the range of IP addresses within the same subnet and the specific network and broadcast addresses that delimit this range. A /28 subnet mask indicates that the first 28 bits of the IP address are reserved for the network portion, which leaves the remaining 4 bits for host addresses. To determine the network and broadcast addresses, one must understand that the network address has all host bits set to 0 and the broadcast address has all host bits set to 1.
For example, let's say the IP address is 192.168.0.1 with a /28 subnet mask. The subnet mask in binary would be 11111111.11111111.11111111.11110000 which translates to 255.255.255.240 in decimal notation. This means the block size is 16 IP addresses (2^4 host bits = 16), and the network address for 192.168.0.1 is the first address in that block: 192.168.0.0. Consequently, the broadcast address is the last address in that block: 192.168.0.15. This process helps define the specific network segment used in IP networking