Bit manipulation & mathLeetCode 190

Lesson 40 of 76

Reverse Bits

Reverse the bits of a 32-bit unsigned integer.

Watch on YouTube

Lesson notes

Try it before you watch

Restate the problem in your own words, list the edge cases, and sketch a solution with its running time. Then play the video and compare.

Reveal the key idea

Repeat 32 times: shift the result left, add the lowest bit of n, then shift n right.

Pattern: Bit manipulation & math. Use XOR, AND and shifts to work on the binary representation directly.

Complexity

Cost of the standard optimal approach for Reverse Bits
Measure Bound
Time O(1) (32 iterations)
Extra space O(1)

Walkthroughs often start from a simpler approach first; aim to reach these bounds. New to Big-O? Read understanding algorithmic complexity.