Arithmetic Right Shift
Bitwise arithmetic right shift is an operation used to shift the bits of a binary number to the right by a specified number of positions while preserving the sign of the number. This operation is commonly used with signed integers and is denoted by the >>
operator in many programming languages.
Syntax:
operand >> n
Where operand
is the value whose bits are to be shifted, and n
is the number of positions to shift by.
Example:
# Arithmetic right shift
x = -8 # Binary: 1111 1000 (assuming 8-bit signed integer)
y = x >> 1 # Binary: 1111 1100, Decimal: -4
Use Cases:
- Signed Integer Division by Powers of 2: Arithmetic right shift can be used to divide signed integers by powers of 2 efficiently while preserving the sign of the number.
- Preserving Sign Bit: Unlike logical right shift, arithmetic right shift preserves the sign bit, ensuring that the sign of the number remains unchanged.
Right Shift Operator (>>) in Programming
Right shift operator (>>), commonly found in programming languages, including C, C++, Java, and others, is used to shift the bits of a number to the right by a specified number of positions. Each shift moves all bits in the operand to the right by the number of positions indicated by the right operand.
Table of Content
- Right Shift Operator (>>) Definition
- Right Shift Operator (>>) Syntax
- Right Shift Operator (>>) Examples
- Right Shift Operator (>>) with Signed Integers
- Right Shift Operator (>>) with Unsigned Integers
- Right Shift Operator (>>) with Signed vs. Unsigned Integers
- Logical Right Shift
- Arithmetic Right Shift
- Logical Right Shift vs. Arithmetic Right Shift
- Right Shift Operator (>>) Optimization Techniques
- Bit Manipulation Hacks with Right Shift Operator
This comprehensive guide aims to provide a deep understanding of bitwise right shift operators, from the foundational principles to advanced optimization strategies.
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