This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Amal p
Amal’s First Switch Equation: Clean FizzBuzz with Bitmask Logic 🧠
Most FizzBuzz solutions rely on if...else... chains. But what if you were challenged to use only a switch statement? That’s exactly what led me (Amal from Kerala) to discover something elegant — an equation that combines multiple boolean checks into a single integer key using powers of two.
💡 The Equation
For n conditions, define:
Key = (result % x1== 0)*2⁰ + (result % x2 == x2)*2¹+………+(result % xn== 0)*2^n-1
🧩 FizzBuzz Example
int i = 1, result, key;
while(i <= limit) {
result = i * num;
key = (result % 3 == 0) * 1 + (result % 5 == 0) * 2;
switch(key){
case 1:
printf("%d x %d = %s\n", num, i, "PIZZ");
break;
case 2:
printf("%d x %d = %s\n", num, i, "BUZZ");
break;
case 3:
printf("%d x %d = %s\n", num, i, "PIZZBUZZ");
break;
case 0:
default:
printf("%d x %d = %d\n", num, i, result);
}
i++;
}
🎯 Why It Works
- Each boolean becomes a unique bit in a binary key.
- Combinations are naturally mapped to cases.
- You get scalable, clean switch statements.
- Great for teaching logic, bitmasking, and scalable code patterns.
🌱 My Discovery Journey
I didn’t find this formula in any book or tutorial — it came from a challenge in a session where “no if-else, only switch!” was the rule. Through experimentation and abstraction, I ended up with this reusable bitmask method.
💬 Join the Conversation
Would love your feedback!
🔍 What other scenarios could use bitmask-based switches?
🔍 Have you seen this in other languages or problems?
🔗 Check out the full code & story here: [https://gist.github.com/amalpvatayam67/0f6d3fbc9f72dd5a978513008e6a50dd]
Happy coding! 😊
— Amal, Cybersecurity Enthusiast from Kerala
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Amal p
Amal p | Sciencx (2025-06-26T13:35:26+00:00) Amal’s First Switch Equation: Clean FizzBuzz with Bitmask Logic. Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2025/06/26/amals-first-switch-equation-clean-fizzbuzz-with-bitmask-logic/
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