Dividing an unsigned integer by 2 yields the same result as a right shift by one bit. True or False?

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Sometimes
• D. Depends on the compiler

Answer: (A)

Dividing an unsigned integer by 2 and shifting that value right by one bit both remove the least-significant bit and discard any remainder. For unsigned numbers, division by 2 truncates toward zero, which is the same as taking floor(n/2). A right shift by one bit moves every bit one place to the right, discards the least-significant bit, and fills the high-order bit with zero. Since both operations produce the same result for any unsigned value, they are equivalent. This equivalence is guaranteed by the standard for unsigned types, so it doesn’t depend on the compiler.