Amal’s First Switch Equation: Clean FizzBuzz with Bitmask Logic

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