How to use the Excel function BIT.SHIFT (BITRSHIFT) – Step by step

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How to use the Excel function BIT.SHIFT (BITRSHIFT) – Step by step

Since its update for the 2013 version, the Excel spreadsheet software has added to its repertoire of formulas one that allows calculating the number where the binary equivalent shifts to the right, being a function that calls its use in the category of ‘engineering’.

This function is used for the programming of projects in the field of computing, where managing the binary language is a key step to be successful. This function even has the ability to shift numbers to the left when they are negative.

The purpose of this function is to return a decimal number to binary, by removing a certain number of bits, which we can name ourselves according to our needs, and bring it back to a decimal base number, that is, a number in base 10, and using it will be a simple process.

To do this we must perform the following steps: first, in our first cell, we will place the number we want to edit, taking the number 0 as a starting point, and then the number of spaces we want it to move, that is, how many numbers on the right we want to delete.

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This will remove and transform our first number, regardless of what it is, which will give us a new result to use, for example if we put our formula of =BIT.OFFSET (number, number of spaces) we will get a different one than the one we are moving .

For example, if we want to transform the number 498, which in binary programming language is translated as 111110010 to another number, it will be in this way =BIT.OFFSET(498,4) which will eliminate the last four numbers starting from the right (the start) and will leave us as a result 11111, which translates into 31.

Some errors that may appear if we perform this procedure wrong

When using this formula, we can make some mistakes that will prevent us from obtaining the necessary result, for example, if the number we are placing is not mathematically available to perform the operation, the cell where we place the formula will throw us the error #! NUM!, or other possible errors.

Another example of an error that can happen is when, by typing as fast as possible, we can enter an alphabetic character, which will not be recognized by the formula, throwing the #VALUE! numerical origin.

Also, it is possible that it throws us the error #¡NUM! If we try to perform this procedure with a numerical quantity that exceeds the result located between 0 and 248^1, which would be translated as a numerical quantity of 281474976710655, in decimal.

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If the number of spaces to move to the right is greater than 53, the #VALUE! error will also be thrown, or if it has alphabetic characteristics since it is not processed by the spreadsheet, the same thing happens when we add cell a character or symbols.

Ways to Practice

Before using what you have learned in this article, you can do a test with three columns, the size you want, in an Excel spreadsheet, which we will call ‘Number’, where we will place the natural number, ‘shift_amount’ where we will place the amount of spaces that we want to move, and finally, the third column will be the one where we will place the formula.

In this way, we can see the quantities and how it works for our work; You can also experiment with ridiculous amounts that exceed the amount of 281474976710655, or that have alphanumeric characters, resulting in one of the aforementioned errors.

In this way, you can easily see for yourself how this formula works for your future projects; You can also review other articles on other engineering functions to transform binary codes to decimal, hexadecimal or octal system codes.

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