Learn how to efficiently divide integers by powers of 2 using the right shift operator (>>
) in C. This guide explains how shifting the bits of a number to the right effectively performs division by powers of 2, offering a faster alternative to traditional division operations. The tutorial includes clear examples, step-by-step explanations, and sample code to help you understand and apply this technique in your C programs.
#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
int num = 32;
printf("Original number: %d\n", num);
num = num >> 2; // Divide by 2^2 = 4
printf("After division by 4: %d\n", num);
return 0;
}
Inside the main() function:
- An integer variable num is initialized with the value 32.
- The original value of num is printed to the console.
- The num variable is right shifted by 2 bits using the `>>` operator, effectively dividing it by 4 (2^2).
- The result after division is printed to the console.