---
title: 3.20 Right Shift
description: "The right shift operator `>>` shifts the bits of an integer to the right by the specified number of positions. Bits shifted beyond the right side are discarded. ``` #include int main() { unsigned int number = 20; printf(\"number >>…"
url: "https://edcret.in/docs/c-programming/operators-and-expressions/3-20-right-shift/"
updated: "2026-09-07"
category: C Programming / Operators and Expressions
---

# 3.20 Right Shift

The right shift operator `>>` shifts the bits of an integer to the right by the specified number of positions. Bits shifted beyond the right side are discarded.

```
#include <stdio.h>

int main()
{
    unsigned int number = 20;

    printf("number >> 1 = %u\n", number >> 1);
    printf("number >> 2 = %u\n", number >> 2);

    return 0;
}
```

### Example Output

```
number >> 1 = 10
number >> 2 = 5
```

### Explanation

The value `20` in binary is:

```
00010100
```

Shifting it right by one position:

```
00010100 >> 1
00001010
```

The resulting value is `10`.

Shifting it right by two positions:

```
00010100 >> 2
00000101
```

The resulting value is `5`.

For an unsigned integer, right shifting by `n` positions corresponds to integer division by `2^n`, with the fractional part discarded.

For signed integers, the result of a right shift of a negative value is implementation-defined, so unsigned integers are used here to make the behavior unambiguous.