int bitNumber = b-(8*byteIndex);
bitMask = 0x8>>(byte)bitNumber;

error: possible loss of precision

int bitNumber = b-(8*byteIndex);
bitMask = 0x8>>2;

48) int byteIndex;
49) byte bitMask;
50) int bitNumber;
    // assign value to byteIndex
67) bitNumber = b-(8*byteIndex);
68) bitMask = 0x8>>bitNumber;

...MyClass.java:68: error: possible loss of precision
    bitMask = 0x8>>bitNumber;
             ^
  required: byte
  found:    int
1 error

byte bitMask = (byte)(0x8>>(byte)bitNumber);

byte bitMask = (byte)(0x8>>bitNumber);

byte bitMask;
int varInt1 = 3;
final int finalVarInt2 = 3;
final int finalVarInt3 = 4;

bitMask = 0x8>>varInt1;    // 1. Will not work.
bitMask = 0x8<<3;          // 2. Will work

bitMask = 0x8<<4;          // 3. Will not work
bitMask = 0x8<<finalVarInt2;   // 1. Will work
bitMask = 0x8<<finalVarInt3;   // 2. Will not work