juniorBit Manipulation
How do you check if a number is Even or Odd using bits?
Updated Apr 28, 2026
Short answer
Check the Least Significant Bit (LSB). If n & 1 == 0, it's even.
Deep explanation
Bit manipulation at the hardware level is faster than arithmetic. Check the Least Significant Bit (LSB). If n & 1 == 0, it's even. This is fundamental for low-level optimization.
Real-world example
Flag management in simple game engines.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting that bitwise operators have lower precedence than comparison operators.
Follow-up questions
- What is 1 << 3?