Namely, val = x ^ y; and val &= val - 1;

 __int64 dist = 0, val = x ^ y; // Count the number of set bits while(val) { ++dist; val &= val - 1; } return dist;

    3 answers 3

    ^ - bitwise exclusive OR (XOR)

     a = 5; // 101 двоичное b = 3; // 011 двоичное c = ( a ^ b ); // c равно 110 двоичному ( 6 десятичное)

    & = is a composite bitwise logical I. As usual And only with assignment.

    UPDATE

     val &= val - 1 // val = val & (val - 1) val = 5 // 101 val = val & (val - 1) // 101 & 100 = 100 val = val & (val - 1) // 100 & 011 = 0

    Continue the table further, catch the pattern and understand the meaning

    Would write more as a function is called, maybe all questions would disappear by themselves

    @good , specifically about the operations ^ and & = you were told, but in general it is the counting of different digits in x and y.

    val = x ^ y will set to val in one those bits that are different in x and y.

    dist will get the result.

      Operations with bits. ^ - XOR - exclusive or, the bit will be equal to one only if one number is set to 1, and the other to 0. & - AND - And, the bit will be equal to one only if it is set to 1 in two numbers. & = - AND with assignment.