What is the term used to describe the shifting of bits in a binary number?

The term "binary shift" accurately describes the operation of shifting bits in a binary number. This process involves moving all bits in a binary sequence to the left or right by a specified number of positions. When bits are shifted to the left, it effectively multiplies the binary number by two for each position shifted, whereas shifting to the right divides the number by two, discarding any bits that are shifted off from the right end.

The other terms do not precisely encapsulate this shifting operation. For example, "bit rotation" refers to a circular shift where the bits that are rotated out from one end are reintroduced at the other end; this is different from a binary shift, which simply moves bits and does not preserve the original value in the same way. "Bit manipulation" covers a broader category of operations that include not just shifting but also operations like AND, OR, XOR, and NOT, which alters bits based on logical functions. "Binary swap" suggests exchanging positions of bits rather than shifting them, which does not describe the action being asked for in the question.

Thus, "binary shift" is the term that accurately denotes the shifting of bits in a binary number.