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Find K numbers in a given range [L, R] such that their bitwise XOR is X

Last Updated : 23 Jul, 2025
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Given four numbers L, R, K, and X, the task is to find K distinct decimal numbers in the range [L, R] such that their bitwise XOR is X.

Note: If there are more than one possibilities, print any one of them.

Examples:

Input: L = 1  , R = 13, K = 5, X = 11
Output: 2 3 8 9 11
Explanation: 2 ⊕ 3 ⊕ 8 ⊕ 9 ⊕ 11 = 11

Input: L = 1, R = 10, K = 3, X = 5
Output: 1 2 6
Explanation: 1 ⊕ 2 ⊕ 6 = 5. 
There is one other possibility i.e., {2, 3, 4}.

 

Approach: The problem can be solved based on the idea of combinatorics as follows:

We have to generate K elements from (R - L). So there are total R-LCK possible choices. These choices can be generated with the help of backtracking.

Follow the steps mentioned below to implement the idea:

  • Call the backtracking function from L.
  • Each element has two choices - either pick it or not.
    • If total K elements are considered, we cannot pick another element.
    • Otherwise, pick the element and consider that as a part of the answer.
      • If that choice does, not satisfy the condition, remove that and continue the same with the other elements.
      • If the answer is found at any moment, no need to traverse for the other options and return the same group of elements as the answer.
    • If the current element is not considered as a part of the answer, don't include it and carry on the same from the next integer.

Below is the implementation of the above approach.

C++ 
// C++ code to implement the approach

#include <bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;

// To denote if the numbers are found
bool flag;

// Function to implement the backtracking
// to get K numbers whose XOR is X
void helper(int i, int r, int cnt, int tmp,
            int x, vector<int>& v)
{
    if (i > r)
        return;

    // If K elements are found
    // satisfying the condition
    if (i == r and tmp == x and cnt == 0)
        flag = true;

    // Current element is selected
    if (cnt > 0) {
        v.push_back(i);
        helper(i + 1, r, cnt - 1, tmp ^ i, x, v);
        if (flag)
            return;
        v.pop_back();
    }

    // Current element is not selected
    helper(i + 1, r, cnt, tmp, x, v);
}

// Function to invoke the helper function
vector<int> solve(int l, int r, int k, int x)
{
    vector<int> res;
    flag = false;
    helper(l, r, k, 0, x, res);
    return res;
}

// Driver code
int main()
{
    int L = 1, R = 10, K = 3, X = 5;

    // Function call
    vector<int> ans = solve(L, R, K, X);
    if (ans.size() == 0)
        cout << "Not Possible";
    else {
        for (int x : ans)
            cout << x << " ";
    }
    return 0;
}
Java 
// Java code to implement the approach
import java.io.*;
import java.util.*;

class GFG {

  // To denote if the numbers are found
  public static boolean flag = false;

  // Function to implement the backtracking to get K
  // numbers whose XOR is X
  public static void helper(int i, int r, int cnt,
                            int tmp, int x,
                            List<Integer> v)
  {
    if (i > r) {
      return;
    }

    // If K elements are found satisfying the condition
    if (i == r && tmp == x && cnt == 0) {
      flag = true;
    }

    // Current element is selected
    if (cnt > 0) {
      v.add(i);
      helper(i + 1, r, cnt - 1, tmp ^ i, x, v);
      if (flag == true) {
        return;
      }
      v.remove(v.size() - 1);
    }

    // Current element is not selected
    helper(i + 1, r, cnt, tmp, x, v);
  }

  // Function to invoke the helper function
  public static List<Integer> solve(int l, int r, int k,
                                    int x)
  {
    List<Integer> res = new ArrayList<>();
    helper(l, r, k, 0, x, res);
    return res;
  }

  public static void main(String[] args)
  {
    int L = 1, R = 10, K = 3, X = 5;

    // Function call
    List<Integer> ans = solve(L, R, K, X);
    if (ans.size() == 0) {
      System.out.print("Not Possible");
    }
    else {
      for (int i : ans) {
        System.out.print(i + " ");
      }
    }
  }
}

// This code is contributed by lokesh (lokeshmvs21).
Python3 
# python3 code to implement the approach

# To denote if the numbers are found
flag = False

# Function to implement the backtracking
# to get K numbers whose XOR is X
def helper(i,  r,  cnt,  tmp, x, v):
    global flag
    if (i > r):
        return

    # If K elements are found
    # satisfying the condition
    if (i == r and tmp == x and cnt == 0):
        flag = True

    # Current element is selected
    if (cnt > 0):
        v.append(i)
        helper(i + 1, r, cnt - 1, tmp ^ i, x, v)

        if (flag):
            return
        v.pop()

    # Current element is not selected
    helper(i + 1, r, cnt, tmp, x, v)

# Function to invoke the helper function
def solve(l,  r,  k,  x):
    global flag
    res = []
    flag = False
    helper(l, r, k, 0, x, res)
    return res

# Driver code
if __name__ == "__main__":

    L = 1
    R = 10
    K = 3
    X = 5

    # Function call
    ans = solve(L, R, K, X)

    if (len(ans) == 0):
        print("Not Possible")

    else:
        for x in ans:
            print(x, end=" ")

    # This code is contributed by rakeshsahni
C# 
// C# code to implement the approach
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;

class GFG {

  // To denote if the numbers are found
  public static bool flag = false;

  // Function to implement the backtracking to get K
  // numbers whose XOR is X
  public static void helper(int i, int r, int cnt,
                            int tmp, int x,
                            List<int> v)
  {
    if (i > r) {
      return;
    }

    // If K elements are found satisfying the condition
    if (i == r && tmp == x && cnt == 0) {
      flag = true;
    }

    // Current element is selected
    if (cnt > 0) {
      v.Add(i);
      helper(i + 1, r, cnt - 1, tmp ^ i, x, v);
      if (flag == true) {
        return;
      }
      v.RemoveAt(v.Count - 1);
    }

    // Current element is not selected
    helper(i + 1, r, cnt, tmp, x, v);
  }

  // Function to invoke the helper function
  public static List<int> solve(int l, int r, int k,
                                    int x)
  {
    List<int> res = new List<int>();
    helper(l, r, k, 0, x, res);
    return res;
  }

  public static void Main(string[] args)
  {
    int L = 1, R = 10, K = 3, X = 5;

    // Function call
    List<int> ans = solve(L, R, K, X);
    if (ans.Count == 0) {
      Console.WriteLine("Not Possible");
    }
    else {
      foreach (int i in ans) {
        Console.Write(i + " ");
      }
    }
  }
}

// This code is contributed by phasing17
JavaScript 
<script>
// javascript code to implement the approach
// To denote if the numbers are found
  let flag = false;
var res = new Array();

  // Function to implement the backtracking to get K
  // numbers whose XOR is X
  function helper(i , r , cnt, tmp , x, v)
  {

    if (i > r) {
      return;
    }

    // If K elements are found satisfying the condition
    if (i == r && tmp == x && cnt == 0) {
      flag = true;
    }

    // Current element is selected
    if (cnt > 0) {
      v.push(i);
      helper(i + 1, r, cnt - 1, tmp ^ i, x, v);
      if (flag == true) {
        return;
      }
      v.pop(v.length-1);
    }

    // Current element is not selected
    helper(i + 1, r, cnt, tmp, x, v);
  }

  // Function to invoke the helper function
  function solve(l , r , k,x)
  {
    
    helper(l, r, k, 0, x, res);
  }

var L = 1, R = 10, K = 3, X = 5;

// Function call
solve(L, R, K, X);
if (res.length == 0) {
    document.write("Not Possible");
}
else {
    for (var i =0; i<res.length; i++) 
        document.write(res[i] + " ");
}
    

// This code contributed by shikhasingrajput 
</script>

Output
1 2 6

Time Complexity: O(NK)
Auxiliary Space: O(K)


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