1. What is Binary Right Shift?

The binary right shift operation (>>) moves all bits in a number to the right by a specified number of positions. This operation is equivalent to integer division by 2ⁿ where n is the number of bits shifted.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator performs the right shift operation:

Where:

• binary — Input binary number (string of 0s and 1s)
• n — Number of bits to shift right (non-negative integer)

Explanation: Each right shift divides the number by 2, discarding the least significant bit. Shifting right by n bits is equivalent to dividing by 2ⁿ (integer division).

3. Importance of Bit Shifting

Details: Bit shifting operations are fundamental in low-level programming, cryptography, and optimization. Right shifts are particularly useful for fast division by powers of two and extracting specific bit fields.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter a valid binary number (only 0s and 1s) and the number of bits to shift. The result will be displayed in binary format.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What happens to the bits that are shifted out?
A: Bits shifted out of the least significant position are discarded.

Q2: Is this a logical or arithmetic right shift?
A: In PHP (which this calculator uses), it's an arithmetic right shift where the sign bit is preserved for signed integers.

Q3: What if I shift by more bits than the number's length?
A: The result will be 0, as all bits will have been shifted out.

Q4: Can I shift negative numbers?
A: This calculator works with unsigned binary numbers. For negative numbers, two's complement representation would be needed.

Q5: What are practical applications of right shift?
A: Common uses include optimizing division, extracting bit fields, and in various bit manipulation algorithms.