Minimum Bit Flips

Problem Statement

Given two non-negative integers, start and goal, determine the minimum number of bit flips required to convert start into goal. A bit flip involves changing a 0 to a 1 or a 1 to a 0 in the binary representation.

For example, consider start = 10 (binary 1010) and goal = 7 (binary 0111). The minimum number of flips needed is 3.

Hint: You can use the XOR operation to compare bits of the two numbers.

Note: Today being December 19, a day of reflection and new beginnings, take a moment to enjoy the challenge and embrace the spirit of continuous improvement.