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javascripttestingbit

find the value of given bit in javascript


I have a test which I don't understand what I have to do maybe because I didn't work a lot with bits.

the test is this:

it('you should be able to find the value of a given bit', function() {
    expect(answers.valueAtBit(128, 8)).to.eql(1);
    expect(answers.valueAtBit(65, 1)).to.eql(1);
    expect(answers.valueAtBit(65, 7)).to.eql(1);
    expect(answers.valueAtBit(128, 1)).to.eql(0);
});

and this is the function that they gave to me:

valueAtBit: function(num, bit) {
},

In that function I have to return the value which has to match with the tests.


Solution

  • You can convert integers to binary strings like:

    let n = 11
    let bin = n.toString(2)
    console.log(bin)

    With that you just need to get the correct character. Assuming your counting from the right (and starting at 1) you can do:

    function valueAtBit(num, bit) {
        n = num.toString(2)
    
        return bit > n.length 
               ? 0 
               : n.toString(2)[n.length - bit]
    }
    console.log(valueAtBit(11, 1))
    console.log(valueAtBit(11, 2))
    console.log(valueAtBit(11, 3))
    console.log(valueAtBit(11, 4))
    console.log(valueAtBit(11, 5)) // all zero after this

    Another option if you want to do the math is to divide by the number by 2**bit and take the mod:

    function valueAtBit(num, bit) {
        return Math.floor(num / (2 ** bit)) % 2
    }
    
    let num = 523
    console.log("number in binary:", num.toString(2))
    
    for (let i = 0; i < 10; i++){
        console.log("bit: ", i, valueAtBit(num, i))
    }