Binary Logarithm Formula:
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The binary logarithm (log₂) is the logarithm to the base 2. It answers the question "To what power must 2 be raised to get this number?" It's widely used in computer science and information theory.
The calculator uses the change of base formula:
Where:
Explanation: The formula converts the base from 2 to e (Euler's number) using the mathematical identity for logarithm base conversion.
Details: Binary logarithms are essential in computer science (binary trees, algorithm complexity), information theory (bits required to represent numbers), and digital signal processing.
Tips: Enter any positive real number. The calculator will compute its binary logarithm. Invalid inputs (zero or negative numbers) will be rejected.
Q1: Why is binary logarithm important in computing?
A: Because computers use binary (base-2) number systems, binary logarithms naturally describe many computational processes.
Q2: What's the relationship between binary and natural logarithms?
A: They differ by a constant factor: log₂(x) ≈ 1.442695 × ln(x).
Q3: What's the binary log of 1?
A: log₂(1) = 0, since 2⁰ = 1.
Q4: What's the binary log of 2?
A: log₂(2) = 1, since 2¹ = 2.
Q5: How is binary log used in algorithm analysis?
A: It describes the depth of binary trees and appears in O(log n) time complexity calculations.