Why Does ~2 Result in -3 in Python?

Exploring Python's Bitwise Complement Operator (~ Tilde)

Understanding how Python's ~ operator works is crucial when dealing with bit manipulation. This operator complements each bit of a given number, essentially inverting the 0s and 1s.

Why ~2 Results in -3

The ~ operator complements the bits of a number, but the resulting value's interpretation depends on the machine architecture. In most systems, negative numbers are stored using two's complement.

To understand how ~2 produces -3, let's examine the two's complement representation of -2 (8 bits):

1111 1110

This is derived by inverting the bits of the positive counterpart (0000 0010), which becomes 1111 1101, and then adding one. The leftmost bit (1) indicates a negative number.

How the ~ Operator Works

When applied to 2 (0000 0010), the ~ operator complements each bit to produce 1111 1101: this is identical to the two's complement representation of -3. Therefore, ~2 = -3.

Implications of the ~ Operator

It is crucial to note that the ~ operator simply flips bits; the interpretation of the resulting value is determined by the machine. This means that the ~ operator's behavior may differ depending on the underlying architecture and data representation standards.

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