Check if Number is Even or Odd Using Bits in DSA Python - Time & Space Complexity

Time Complexity: Check if Number is Even or Odd Using Bits

O(1)

Understanding Time Complexity

We want to know how fast we can tell if a number is even or odd using bits.

How does the time to check change as the number gets bigger?

Scenario Under Consideration

Analyze the time complexity of the following code snippet.

def is_even(num: int) -> bool:
    return (num & 1) == 0

number = 42
print(is_even(number))  # True if even, False if odd

This code uses a bitwise AND to check the last bit of the number to decide if it is even or odd.

Identify Repeating Operations

Identify the loops, recursion, array traversals that repeat.

• Primary operation: A single bitwise AND operation.
• How many times: Exactly once per function call.

How Execution Grows With Input

The operation always takes the same time no matter how big the number is.

Input Size (n)	Approx. Operations
10	1
100	1
1000	1

Pattern observation: The time does not grow with input size; it stays constant.

Final Time Complexity

Time Complexity: O(1)

This means the check takes the same small amount of time no matter how big the number is.

Common Mistake

[X] Wrong: "Checking bits takes longer for bigger numbers because they have more bits."

[OK] Correct: The operation only looks at the last bit, so it always takes the same time regardless of number size.

Interview Connect

Knowing this quick bit check shows you understand how computers work with numbers and can write very fast code.

Self-Check

"What if we checked multiple bits to find if a number is divisible by 4? How would the time complexity change?"

Practice

1. What does the expression num & 1 check when determining if a number is even or odd?

easy

A. It checks if the least significant bit of num is 1, indicating odd number.

B. It checks if the number is greater than 1.

C. It shifts the bits of num to the right by 1.

D. It adds 1 to the number.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand bitwise AND operation

   The expression num & 1 performs a bitwise AND between num and 1, which isolates the least significant bit (rightmost bit) of num.

2. Step 2: Interpret the least significant bit

   If the least significant bit is 1, the number is odd; if it is 0, the number is even.

3. Final Answer:

   It checks if the least significant bit of num is 1, indicating odd number. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   num & 1 = 1 means odd [OK]

Hint: Check last bit with & 1; 1 means odd, 0 means even [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking & 1 shifts bits instead of checking last bit
• Confusing bitwise AND with addition
• Assuming & 1 checks if number > 1

2. Which of the following Python code snippets correctly checks if a number n is even using bitwise operators?

easy

A. if n | 1 == 0:
print('Even')

B. if n & 0 == 1:
print('Even')

C. if n & 1 == 0:
print('Even')

D. if n ^ 1 == 0:
print('Even')

Solution

1. Step 1: Analyze each bitwise operation

   if n & 1 == 0: print('Even') uses n & 1 == 0, which checks if the least significant bit is 0, meaning even number. The other options use incorrect bitwise operations or comparisons.

2. Step 2: Confirm correct syntax and logic

   if n & 1 == 0: print('Even') correctly uses bitwise AND and compares to zero to detect even numbers.

3. Final Answer:

   if n & 1 == 0: print('Even') -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   n & 1 == 0 means even [OK]

Hint: Use 'if n & 1 == 0' to check even numbers [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using bitwise OR or XOR instead of AND
• Comparing with wrong values like 1 instead of 0
• Misplacing parentheses causing syntax errors

3. What will be the output of the following code?

def check_even_odd(num):
    if num & 1:
        return 'Odd'
    else:
        return 'Even'

print(check_even_odd(10))
print(check_even_odd(7))

medium

A. Odd
Odd

B. Even
Odd

C. Odd
Even

D. Even
Even

Solution

1. Step 1: Evaluate check_even_odd(10)

   10 in binary ends with 0, so 10 & 1 = 0, condition is false, returns 'Even'.

2. Step 2: Evaluate check_even_odd(7)

   7 in binary ends with 1, so 7 & 1 = 1, condition is true, returns 'Odd'.

3. Final Answer:

   Even Odd -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   10 even, 7 odd [OK]

Hint: num & 1 true means odd, false means even [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing return values for even and odd
• Misreading bitwise AND result
• Assuming & 1 returns boolean instead of int

4. Find the error in the following code that tries to print whether a number is even or odd using bits:

def is_even(num):
    if num & 1 = 0:
        return True
    else:
        return False

print(is_even(4))

medium

A. Using single '=' instead of '==' in the if condition

B. Using bitwise AND instead of bitwise OR

C. Missing colon after function definition

D. Incorrect indentation of return statements

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify syntax error in if condition

   The condition uses single '=' which is assignment, not comparison. It should be '==' to compare values.

2. Step 2: Confirm correct syntax for comparison

   Changing '=' to '==' fixes the syntax error and allows the function to work as intended.

3. Final Answer:

   Using single '=' instead of '==' in the if condition -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Use '==' for comparison, not '=' [OK]

Hint: Use '==' for comparison in if statements [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using '=' instead of '==' in conditions
• Confusing bitwise AND with OR
• Ignoring syntax errors causing runtime failure

5. You want to filter a list of integers and keep only the odd numbers using bitwise operations. Which of the following code snippets correctly achieves this?

hard

A. odds = [x for x in numbers if x ^ 1 == 1]

B. odds = [x for x in numbers if x & 1 == 0]

C. odds = [x for x in numbers if x | 1 == 1]

D. odds = [x for x in numbers if x & 1 == 1]

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand filtering condition for odd numbers

   Odd numbers have least significant bit 1, so x & 1 == 1 filters odd numbers.

2. Step 2: Check each option's logic

   odds = [x for x in numbers if x & 1 == 1] correctly filters odd numbers. odds = [x for x in numbers if x & 1 == 0] filters even numbers. Options C and D use incorrect bitwise operations for this purpose.

3. Final Answer:

   odds = [x for x in numbers if x & 1 == 1] -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Filter odds with x & 1 == 1 [OK]

Hint: Use list comprehension with 'x & 1 == 1' to get odd numbers [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using 'x & 1 == 0' which filters even numbers
• Using bitwise OR or XOR incorrectly
• Forgetting to compare with 1 explicitly