Solving LeetCode Challenge 1318 - Minimum Flips to Make a OR b Equal to c in Python

In this Python tutorial, we address LeetCode challenge 1318, which asks us to determine the minimum number of bit flips required to make the bitwise OR of two numbers equal to a third number. We tackle this challenge by iteratively checking the bits in the binary representations of the three numbers, then flipping the bits in the first two numbers as required to match the third. This problem is a great opportunity to hone our skills in bitwise operations and binary number manipulation.

Our solution is not only intuitive but also efficient, boasting a time complexity of O(log n), where n is the maximum of the three input numbers. We begin by setting up our function, initializing a flip counter, and starting a loop that continues as long as any of our numbers are greater than 0. Then, for each bit, we use the bitwise AND operation to isolate the last bit of each number. Depending on the value of the bit in the third number, we adjust the bits in the first two numbers accordingly, incrementing our flip counter with each flip.

Feel free to try out the code, play around with it, and leave any questions or alternative solutions in the comments below. This exercise will help you build a deeper understanding of bitwise operations, binary number representation, and problem-solving using Python.