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BITXOR

The BITXOR function returns the bitwise XOR of two numbers. The function takes two numeric arguments and returns the result of the bitwise XOR operation performed on them.

Usage

Use the BITXOR formula with the syntax shown below, it has 2 required parameters:

=BITXOR(value1, value2)
Parameters:
  1. value1 (required):
    The first number (or reference to a cell containing a number) to be used in the bitwise XOR operation.
  2. value2 (required):
    The second number (or reference to a cell containing a number) to be used in the bitwise XOR operation.

Examples

Here are a few example use cases that explain how to use the BITXOR formula in Google Sheets.

Toggle Boolean Values

Using the BITXOR function, you can toggle the values of Boolean variables. For example, if cell A1 contains a Boolean value of TRUE, you can toggle it to FALSE by using the formula =BITXOR(A1,TRUE).

Create Unique Identifiers

You can use the BITXOR function to create a unique identifier by XORing the values of multiple cells. For example, if you have values in cells A1 and B1, you can create a unique identifier by using the formula =BITXOR(A1,B1).

Convert Binary to Decimal

You can use the BITXOR function to convert binary numbers to decimal. For example, the formula =BITXOR(BIN2DEC("1010"),BIN2DEC("1100")) will return the decimal value of 6.

Generate Random Numbers

You can use the BITXOR function to generate random numbers. For example, the formula =BITXOR(RANDBETWEEN(1,100),RANDBETWEEN(1,100)) will generate a random number between 1 and 100.

Calculate Parity

The BITXOR function can be used to calculate the parity of a set of bits. For example, the formula =BITXOR(BIN2DEC("110101"),BIN2DEC("110010")) will return the parity of the binary numbers 110101 and 110010.

Common Mistakes

BITXOR not working? Here are some common mistakes people make when using the BITXOR Google Sheets Formula:

Using non-numeric inputs

BITXOR requires numeric inputs. If you try to use non-numeric inputs, such as text or empty cells, it will return an error.

Not using the correct syntax

BITXOR requires two inputs separated by a comma. If you use the wrong syntax, such as missing a comma, it will return an error.

Related Formulas

The following functions are similar to BITXOR or are often used with it in a formula:

  • BITAND

    The BITAND function returns a bitwise AND of two numbers. This function is commonly used in engineering applications where binary digits are manipulated to perform logical operations. The function takes two inputs, value1 and value2, and returns a decimal number that represents the bitwise AND of the two inputs.

  • BITOR

    The BITOR function returns a bitwise OR of two numbers.

  • BITLSHIFT

    The BITLSHIFT function shifts the bits of a given number to the left or right by a specified number of positions. This function is commonly used in engineering and computer science to perform bitwise operations on binary numbers.

Learn More

You can learn more about the BITXOR Google Sheets function on Google Support.