Write the field out in binary
A diagnostics screen prints a flags field as ones and zeros so an engineer can see at a glance which switches are on.
- Return the binary digits, most significant first.
- No leading zeros — except zero itself, which is written "0".
- The value is never negative.
toBinary(flags: int) → string
Java needs a compiler and Drill does not host one yet, so this page is the reference rather than an exercise: the problem, worked examples, and the solution in full. To type it out, the same problem runs in Python.
Where you start
String toBinary(int flags) {
}Worked examples
| Call | Result |
|---|---|
toBinary(5) | "101" |
toBinary(0) | "0" |
toBinary(1) | "1" |
toBinary(8) | "1000" |
Hint
Peel off the lowest bit with a mask, shift down, and repeat. The digits come out backwards, so reverse them at the end.
Reference solution in Java
String toBinary(int flags) {
if (flags == 0) return "0";
StringBuilder digits = new StringBuilder();
int field = flags;
while (field > 0) {
digits.insert(0, field & 1);
field >>= 1;
}
return digits.toString();
}