The expression value & 1 masks all bits except for the least significant bit. True or False?

Enhance your programming skills with the RECF Programming Test. Features flashcards and multiple choice questions with hints and explanations. Prepare for success!

Multiple Choice

The expression value & 1 masks all bits except for the least significant bit. True or False?

Explanation:
Isolating the least significant bit is what happens when you use a bitwise AND with 1. The binary value 1 has zeros in every bit position except the least significant one, so when you perform value & 1, every higher bit is ANDed with 0 and becomes 0, while the least significant bit is ANDed with 1 and remains unchanged. The result is either 0 or 1, effectively masking all other bits. So the statement is true. It’s not masking the MSB or two LSBs; those would require different patterns.

Isolating the least significant bit is what happens when you use a bitwise AND with 1. The binary value 1 has zeros in every bit position except the least significant one, so when you perform value & 1, every higher bit is ANDed with 0 and becomes 0, while the least significant bit is ANDed with 1 and remains unchanged. The result is either 0 or 1, effectively masking all other bits. So the statement is true. It’s not masking the MSB or two LSBs; those would require different patterns.

Subscribe

Get the latest from Passetra

You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our privacy policy