Have some doubts in the operation [Bitwise Manipulation] - c++

Question

#include <iostream>
#include <math.h>
using namespace std;
// converting from decimal to binary
int main()
{
int n, bit, ans = 0, i = 0;
cout << "enter a number: ";
cin >> n;
while (n > 0)
{
bit = n & 1;
ans = round(bit * pow(10, i)) + ans; /* we used 'round' bcoz pow(10, 2) give 99.99999
it differs from compiler to compiler */
n = n >> 1;
i++;
}
cout << ans;
return 0;
}
I am unable to understand that in while(n>0), n will be stored as binary form or decimal form.
That is if n=5, so whether while loop check for (5>0) or (101>0).
Can anyone explain what is happening here?
I am new to this platform, please don't delete my question. My earlier questions are also gets deleted due enough dislikes. I am here to learn and am still learning.

Answer 1

"Decimal" and "Binary" are text representations of a value. n is an int, not text, so it holds the value 5. If I have 5 apples on a desk, then there is no "decimal" or "binary" involved. THere's just 5 apples. Same with int.
cin >> n;
while (n > 0)
This loop continues because 5 > 0.
n = n >> 1;
This is just a fancy way of writing n = n / 2, so then n becomes 2. Since 2 > 0, the loop continues. On the third run, n becomes 1, and since 1 > 0, the loop continues a third time. On the fourth run, n becomes 0, and 0 == 0, so the while loop exits.

Answer 2

Both n and ans are integers that your computer stores in a binary format. If n = 5 then n is both 5 and 0b0101. Your loop converts one integer n into a second integer ans which only uses the digits 1 and 0 and looks like the integer n in binary.
It does this by converting each power of two in n into a power of ten and adding it into ans. The integer 5 will become the integer 101 (one hundred and one).
In the loop, when you use the bitwise operator >> you are manipulating the underlying binary representation of the number directly, in this case, shifting all of the bits in the integer to the right and feeding in zeros on the left to replace the bits that have moved.
So, if n is 5 then:
0b0101 >> 1 gives 0b0010, or 2
0b0101 >> 2 gives 0b0001, or 1
0b0101 >> 3 gives 0b0000, or 0
When you use the bitwise operator & (bitwise and) you are again operating directly on the binary representation. This time you are and-ing all of the bits in one number with the bit in another number. For example:
0b01100110 & 0b10101110 = 0b00100110
0b01100110 & 0b10011001 = 0b00000000
In your loop you are doing four things:
1. bit = n & 1
And-ing the integer n with one will mean that bit is equal to:
1 when there is a 1 in the 2^0 place (the least significant bit) and,
0 when there is not a 1 in the 2^0 place.
2. ans = round(bit * pow(10, i)) + ans
You take 10^i and multiply it by bit. So:
bit is zero this is zero
if bit is one this is some power of ten.
3. n = n >> 1
Shift one place to the right. The bit that was in the 2^1 place is now in the 2^0 place.
4. i++
Increment i which tracks both your current power of 2 and current power of ten.

Answer 3

#Mooing Duck has explained it incredibly well. I'd just add that you are being confused about the Number System
Decimal numbers are called the base 10 numbers (digits: 0 - 9, total: 10)
Binary numbers are called the base 2 numbers(digits/bits: 0 - 1, total: 2)
101 (base 10) is very different from 101 (base 2)
When we use bitwise operators such as (<<, >>, &, ^, |) we manipulate the bits of the decimal (hence the name bitwise operators)
So, when you are doing 5 >> 1 you are actually doing 101 (base 2) >> 1 which results in 010 (base 2)
When you keep shifting the bits to the right(equivalent to dividing by 2), at one point you'll be left with no 1s and only 0s. And what's 0 (base 2)? Its 0(base 10). Hence, the loop breaks.