diff --git a/include/chameleon/constants.h b/include/chameleon/constants.h
index 60d4751bd951a79a611a151004eaa350d5755c5c..5bcc5ac3cef510411b23e84f6014492ea44e5751 100644
--- a/include/chameleon/constants.h
+++ b/include/chameleon/constants.h
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
  * @author Alycia Lisito
  * @author Terry Cojean
  * @author Matthieu Kuhn
- * @date 2023-08-22
+ * @date 2024-10-18
  *
  */
 #ifndef _chameleon_constants_h_
@@ -44,16 +44,24 @@ typedef enum chameleon_arithmetic_e {
     ChamDouble = 3,
 } cham_arithmetic_t;
 
-#define CHAM_ARITHMETIC_MASK 0b11
-
 typedef enum chameleon_ftype_e {
     ChamInt     = 0,
     ChamReal    = 1,
     ChamComplex = 2,
 } cham_ftype_t;
 
-#define CHAM_FTYPE_MASK 0b1100
-#define CHAM_MIXED_MASK 0b10000
+/**
+ * Defines the arithmetic type mask using the 1st and 2nd bits
+ */
+#define CHAM_ARITHMETIC_MASK ( 0x3 )
+/**
+ * Defines the floating type mask using the 3rd and 4th bits
+ */
+#define CHAM_FTYPE_MASK ( 0x3 << 2 )
+/**
+ * Defines the mixed precision flag mask on the 5th bit
+ */
+#define CHAM_MIXED_MASK ( 0x1 << 4 )
 
 #define cham_get_arith( _ftype_ )   ( (_ftype_) & CHAM_ARITHMETIC_MASK )
 #define cham_get_ftype( _ftype_ )   (( (_ftype_) & CHAM_FTYPE_MASK ) >> 2 )