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Bug #13711

closed

Unexpected behavior of bit_length method on negative integers

Added by jzakiya (Jabari Zakiya) over 6 years ago. Updated over 6 years ago.

Status:
Rejected
Assignee:
-
Target version:
-
[ruby-core:81893]

Description

The two's complement representation of negative integers produces unexpected results
when the bit_length method is applied to them.

5.bit_length => 3
4.bit_length => 3
3.bit_length => 2
2.bit_length => 2
1.bit_length => 1
0.bit_length => 0
(-1).bit_length => 0
(-2).bit_length => 1
(-3).bit_length => 2
(-4).bit_length => 2
(-5).bit_length => 3
(-6).bit_length => 3
(-7).bit_length => 3
(-8).bit_length => 3
(-9).bit_length => 4

I would have thought that bit_length on a negative integer would return the number
of bits it takes to represent a two's complement number on the given cpu/os.

Since the two's complement of negative integers are of the form:

-1 =>  111111111111111111
-2 =>  111111111111111110
-3 =>  111111111111111101
-4 =>  111111111111111100
-5 =>  111111111111111011
-6 =>  111111111111111010
-7 =>  111111111111111001
-8 =>  111111111111111000
-9 =>  111111111111110111

it thus appears for negative integers bit_length returns the bit
position of the left most 0 of the two's complement representation.

Is this correct?
Is this intentional?
If so, can an explanation of this behavior/rationale be given.

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