Bitwise operation challenge!!!

[someshwara]

I need an algorithm which compares two numbers by bitwise should tell me if only one bit is different from other among all the bits.

for example
let say my number is 5
5 binary is 101 then the comparisons of
100
111
001
shall all pass the algorithm as there is only one bit change.

[horace1]

you could loop for the number of bits in the word
(1) compare the two bit 0's, if different exit
(2) shift bits right one bit

[JosAH]

If both numbers a and b differ in only one bit then a^b must be a number x with
only one bit set to one (1). Such a number definitely isn't equal to zero but the
following expression is equal to zero: x&(x-1). For all other pairs of nunbers a
and b the number x= a^b will be zero ot that funny expression will be unequal
to zero.

kind regards,

Jos

[someshwara]

If both numbers a and b differ in only one bit then a^b must be a number x with
only one bit set to one (1). Such a number definitely isn't equal to zero but the
following expression is equal to zero: x&(x-1). For all other pairs of nunbers a
and b the number x= a^b will be zero ot that funny expression will be unequal
to zero.

kind regards,

Jos

Beutiful thanks a lot